COLUMBIA — The District in downtown Columbia has launched a gift card for local business that it hopes will increase local shopping.

This method intends to make local shopping easier for both the customer and the business owner, said Nickie Davis, the executive director of The Downtown Community Improvement District.

The system takes inspiration from a gift certificate program The District previously used.

“They went really well,” Davis said. “It was a great system; however, it was a handwritten system.”

She said having a handwritten system made it harder to keep track of who had the gift certificates. The gift card aims to fix that.

“It was very clear to us that the public wanted this back,” Davis said. “We just needed to figure out how to do that in an updated manner that would be more suitable and easier for our businesses.”

More than 60 businesses are participating in the program.

“Local is the heartbeat of any town,” Davis said. “Columbia is a diamond in the middle of Missouri because of our small businesses. Our small businesses bring such a different atmosphere to what makes Columbia, what makes The District what it is.” 

Jean Gruenewald, the owner of Coming Home, said the program could bring new business to her and other shops in The District.

“I think the gift card’s great because this will bring people to shops they’ve never been to before and see what kind of great things we have and areas in the town that they might have not been to,” Gruenewald said.

She said shopping locally also feels better.

“It’s so important to shop locally,” Gruenewald said. “We live in the area, we spend our money here. You’re helping someone out when you shop locally.”

Coming Home has been open for seven years, and Gruenewald said it’s the interaction with customers that makes it all worth it.

“I like meeting people, and I like providing things that you might not find at other places, and I have a lot of sustainable items and things that you just don’t find everywhere,” Gruenewald said. “I really enjoy being in business and finding things and meeting other people.”

All the money from gift card purchases will go to the businesses where customers use the cards.

A QR code on the back of the card gives information on participating businesses and the card’s remaining balance.

The gift cards are available for purchase online or in person at The District offices, located at 11 S. Tenth St.