Put Orange First is the theme of our magazine's Community Project this year and just to recap, in case you've missed the earlier publicity, one thing I'm trying to do is encourage us all to respect, encourage and support small business owners in Orange a lot more than we appear to. To that end I have an idea and I'd like some feedback from you on it, and especially so if you are a small business retail shop owner.

It's called Pot Luck Saturdays.

Commencing on the last Saturday in February and on the last Saturday of each month up until November, I'd like them to become known as Pot Luck Saturdays in Orange.

The idea is to invite shops in Orange to participate by first, sticking up a huge eye-catching poster on their front window and backing this up with one or more bargains, specials, sale items etc. in their store for the day. It's really that simple.

The strategy is simple. Imagine if say 50 shops in Orange participated each month and all over Orange, shoppers were attracted by the big window posters and then went into these stores to see what this month's Pot Luck specials or sale items were? Imagine what that could do for local businesses if people embraced the concept and each month were prepared to hit the shops on Pot Luck Saturday. It could become another 'go to' shopping event each month in Orange, in the same way that it has become normal for many people to flock to the Farmers Markets each month.

For the public, Pot Luck Saturdays will provide them with another great money saving shopping opportunity.

For the shops, it will provide them with a no cost opportunity to encourage people into their shops on Pot Luck Saturdays, and that should lead to additional sales.

For Orange generally, it will provide another reason for people outside of Orange, with shopping to do, to come here each Pot Luck Saturday.

You'll notice I said for shops, a no cost opportunity. I mean that. I plan this to be a Put Orange First initiative and as such, Orange City Life will provide the posters and promote and publicise Pot Luck Saturdays at our cost. Tony Healey from Radio 2EL is also keen to support Put Orange First and our Pot Luck Saturdays on the same no cost basis. Maybe others will join us in some way too.

I believe Pot Luck Saturdays could become a 'look forward to' day each month for both shop owners and the general public. I also believe they have the potential to further promote shopping in Orange to the wider region and bring more people to town more often. I also believe they could become BIG shopping days in Orange and that will have ongoing benefits for our businesses and our local economy.

We're kicking off on Saturday February 23rd.

What do you think? Email me at bob@oclife.com.au