When Famous-Barr opens in October, it won’t be the only organization attempting to make money.
Two days before its grand opening, Famous-Barr is hosting Charity Day, when nonprofit organizations will sell $5 admission tickets to preview the new store on Oct. 20. The organizations involved will be given tickets to sell and will keep all proceeds from those tickets. The organization that sells the most tickets will win $1,500, and the organizations that sells the second-largest number will win $1,000.
“We’ve been doing this a lot. It’s very successful,” said Helen Weiss, Famous-Barr divisional vice president of public relations. She said Famous-Barr hopes to involve 75 to 100 nonprofit organizations.
Tickets will also be sold at the door on the day of the event, and the profits from those sales will be divided evenly among all the participating charities who have sold over 100 tickets.
Customers get two 20 percent discount coupons to use on any one apparel or accessory item, and one 15 percent home store discount coupon, Weiss said. Three $1,000 Famous-Barr shopping sprees will be given out, and there will be other entertainment.
Tickets will be given to the organizations at the Charity Day luncheon, which is scheduled for the first weekend in September, Weiss said. She also said most organizations take at least 100 tickets.
Famous-Barr will open the Tuesday before the grand opening, though business hours will be shorter.
Organizations wishing to participate in Charity Day should call (800) 835-9718 or (314) 444-2671.