Local businesses along U.S. 1 are hoping a week-long scavenger hunt will bring more customers inside their doors to support their small businesses.
- Week-long scavenger hunt to bring customers to Volusia businesses
- Organizers say traffic has declined along U.S. 1
- More than 30 businesses are participating
James Boyle is one of the managers at the Houligan's restaurant on U.S. 1. The restaurant has prepared for customers seeking to win a business scavenger hunt but what the restaurant gets in return helps.
"I think there's a lot of different businesses in this area that might not have had this exposure might not have known about. It allows people who didn't know and to stop by and meet some of the people at the businesses," said James Boyle, Manager.
Organizers said over the years traffic has declined along with the corridor.
Two years ago, several cities came together to create the Rediscover U.S. 1 scavenger hunt to generate foot traffic into businesses, and help revitalize and attract people to the area.
"It's important to our vital community we want our neighborhoods to redevelop and have vital businesses. We have a lot of local businesses that's not national chains and sometimes they're struggling because we don't have the traffic on U.S. 1," Patty Rippey, re-development practitioner.
Every business's scavenger hunt question is different that have been compiled on a list for customers to take into each business to find the answers. Some businesses said they've gotten dozens of new customers from the event in the past.
From Ormond Beach to Edgewater, more than 30 businesses are participating over a stretch of 40 miles along U.S. 1.
Since U.S. 1 is known as America's Business Highway, businesses hope this event is one way to get people back.
The scavenger hunt ends on April 29 and participants will be entered into a drawing to win prizes from the businesses.