Several members of the Auburn Downtown Merchants Association will now validate customer parking, the association announced Tuesday.
“We have been working to get this in place for about a week,” said Jessica Kohn, downtown coordinator for the Downtown Merchants.
The decision to begin validating parking came after parking rates were raised from 25 cents an hour to $1 an hour, and a two-hour limit was placed on all downtown spots, Kohn said.
“This past August parking went up,” Kohn said. “It was a pretty significant increase. We did get some feedback form patrons who come downtown who said that they were a little disappointed with the price increase.”
To get parking validation, drivers must park in one of the numbered spaces downtown. These spaces use the kiosks for payment.
Drivers then enter their space number into the kiosk and pay for their parking. They must request a receipt from the kiosk.
Then drivers can shop and dine downtown. If they make a purchase at a participating business that falls within the business’ parking validation guidelines, the driver can present their parking receipt to the business who will then validate the parking and keep the receipt.
“We are working on getting some window clings designed so that way people will know when they walk into the business, they’ll see it on the window that the business validates parking,” Kohn said.
In total, 12 downtown businesses are participating in the validation program with different rates for each business. The downtown merchants are hoping to add more businesses in the coming months, which will be noted on their website.
- Auburn Popcorn Company: Will validate $1 for $10 purchase & $2 for $20 purchase.
- Beachfitters Sunglasses: Will validate up to $2 with purchase of a pair of sunglasses.
- Behind the Glass: Will validate up to $2 with any purchase.
- Cellairis: Will validate up to $2 with $20 purchase or more.
- Charming Oaks: Up to $2 with $15 purchase or more.
- Elisabet Boutique: Will validate up to $2 with $20 purchase or more.
- fab’rik: Will validate up to $2 with $20 purchase or more.
- Freeze Yogurt: Will validate up to $2 with $20 purchase or more.
- Frutta Bowls: Validate $1 for $10 purchase & $2 for $20 purchase.
- STAMP: Will validate up to $2 with $10 purchase or more.
- Ware Jewelers: Will validate up to $2 with any purchase
- Wrapsody: Will validate up to $2 with a $25 purchase or more.
“I think it’s just a great thing that the downtown stores are going to be doing because it helps with their relationships with their customers so that they want to come back to the store, too, because they are getting a few dollars off every time they come to the store,” said Ellie Killough, manager at Behind the Glass.
Metered parking is enforced 8 a.m.–6 p.m Monday through Friday and is free on weekends and after 6 p.m. on weekdays.
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Elizabeth, senior in journalism and political science, is the community editor for The Plainsman
