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The retailers in Port Jefferson have just wrapped up their first-ever Port-opoly game, a village-wide promotional contest.
And they’re hailing it a huge success.
“Port-opoly really helped bring the retail community closer,” said Steve Muñoz of The Amazing Olive, also a member of the Port Jefferson Retailers Association. “New shops and old that customers never knew about were discovered because of Port-opoly.
The game’s three winners were announced last week.
The grand prize winner, identified as Collin, shopped in eight different shops, with the second place winner, Sharon, hitting up six places, and the third place winner, Linda, collecting marks for shopping at five different stores, according to the association.
“Linda lives in Connecticut and takes the ferry over to Port Jeff to shop every four months,” Muñoz said. “We shipped her the gift basket.”
The grand prize winner said the game helped him take care of his Christmas shopping early, the retailers said.
“I’m sure some holiday gifts were taken care with merchandise won in the three baskets,” said Muñoz. “We will be doing Port-opoly next year and hope that the event grows.”
The game ran from Oct. 14 through Nov. 15. Locals and visitors to the village were able to pick up their Port-opoly boards at any of the over two dozen participating locations.
From there, they went shopping. The more stores they visited, the more stamps, hole punches or special markings they got on the back of their game boards.
Muñoz especially liked how the game got the business owners talking more to one another.
“Shop owners were cross-promoting each other’s businesses to their patrons to get them involved in playing Port-opoly,” he said.
Top: The first place winner, identified as Collin, and his big basket. (courtesy)
