Fourth Avenue gift card program offers free money to district patrons

Fourth Avenue organizations are offering free money to patrons who buy gift cards to their favorite businesses in the district during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Historic Fourth Avenue Coalition and the Fourth Avenue Merchants Association teamed up to support more than 25 businesses including restaurants and shops in the Fourth Avenue district.

The two organizations collectively will invest up to $10,000, offering an additional $10 on every $25 gift card sold.

The gift cards went on sale Monday morning. By Tuesday evening, people had bought more than 560 of the initial 925 cards, Fred Ronstadt, the merchant association’s executive director, said.

Some restaurant gift cards sold out in less than 24 hours, but on Tuesday Ronstadt said he was making more cards available for some of those businesses.

Ronstadt said he had been communicating with Downtown Tucson Partnership since the downtown organization launched its first round of its gift card incentive program in early April. After finding a platform that would work to sell gift cards for Fourth Avenue businesses, the association and coalition launched their own program.

"People are excited about it," Ronstadt said. "They are really happy they can support their favorite merchants while everything is shut down."

He said he hopes the association can find sponsors to continue offering gift card incentives after the initial 925 cards are sold.

Although some businesses have stayed open offering take-out and curbside pickup for food and other products, Ronstadt said things have been "incredibly rough" for Fourth Avenue merchants in recent weeks. Fourth Avenue is made up of about 120 locally-owned businesses that create unique experiences which can't be replicated online, he said.

To buy a gift card visit: fourth-avenue-gift-cards.square.site/s/shop