Guide to get shoppers spending locally

Locally-owned businesses in the Bunbury CBD will entice shoppers into their stores through a creative new walking guide.

The Retail Co – a group made up of Bunbury’s small business owners – came up with an idea for a map showcasing the city’s locally-owned stores about 12 months ago.

The walking guides were finally released last week and The Retail Co founder Cheryl Kozisek said the feedback had already been positive.

“It’s about reminding the locals who are the small, locally-owned businesses and to inform the tourists, who are either just driving through or staying, where the locally-owned businesses are,” Mrs Kozisek said.

“It’s vital that people spending money in Bunbury are spending it at Bunbury-owned businesses.

“Spending money at locally-owned businesses is the key to creating vibrancy in the CBD and the money stays in town.”

Members of The Retail Co contributed their own money to creating the maps, with Bunbury Geographe Chamber of Commerce and Industry putting in $2000.

A whopping 20,000 maps have been printed, costing the group about $9000.

“Small businesses funded it and really drove it – a lot of time and effort has gone into that,” Mrs Kozisek said.

The maps showcase more than 50 of the city’s Bunbury-owned stores and also have Chinese translation for visitors.

Mrs Kozisek thanked renowned Bunbury artist Andrew Frazer for designing the map covers, which she said truly represented the city and made people want to pick one up.