Chamber of commerce and community leaders are kicking offanother shopping incentive for Brookhaven and Lincoln County thisweekend: The Best of Brookhaven.

The program begins Saturday and is aimed at giving shoppersincentives to shop locally, as well as giving chamber memberspecialty stores an incentive to work together.

“It’s going to strengthen the cooperative effort of our smallbusinesses so they can see benefits by working together andspeaking with one voice,” Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber ofCommerce President Stan Foster said. “Not that they don’t need todistinguish themselves, but by working together, they can see thebenefits of having a strong business community and the taxcollections that provide the services we already enjoy.”

Under the program, a consumer makes $25 in purchases from eachof any five participating merchants and is given a keychain thatrecognizes them as a loyal shopper. Then stores provide monthlypromotions only available to those customers with the “Best ofBrookhaven” keychain.

Foster said 18 local businesses enrolled in the program, whichcosts $500 up front and gets them T-shirts for employees, a decalto go in the window, a supply of customer key chains and anadvertising package that includes several area media outlets.

“We had a meeting with all 18 participating merchants thismorning, just sort of reintroducing the process and what’srequired,” Foster said Thursday. “Most of the supplies are ready,and those that aren’t will be delivered tomorrow morning. Theadvertisers are all on board, and we’re prepared and the vendorsare prepared and there’s a lot of excitement about theprogram.”

Organizers of the Best of Brookhaven said the alliance betweenthe businesses could be one of the keys to not only helping boostthe city’s sales tax during less-than stellar economic times, butit also allows them to be an integral part of the future of thecommunity.

“It’s important to note that the specialty retail committeethrough the Best of Brookhaven program is not only working tobenefit participating businesses but all local retailers by workingto bring in more traffic to increase local shopping,” said ChamberExecutive Vice President Cliff Brumfield. “By working together, wecan formulate strategies that will have a long-lasting effect inbringing more shoppers through local retailers’ doors. The projectand committee, as well as other ideas, are all aimed at one thing -increasing retail traffic.”

Foster said it will be up to member merchants as to whether ornot the Best of Brookhaven is a long-term program.

“If they gain value from the program, then it’ll continue, andif those that shop see it as a benefit, they’ll support the localmerchants,” he said. “It’ll be determined by those that invested,because they’ve invested their money to pay for advertising andsupplies.”

And even if the Best of Brookhaven needs tweaking or revampingdown the road, Foster said there have already been some positiveoutcroppings of the program.

“They’ve done all the hard work that makes it happen,” he said.”Even if it doesn’t take off, they’ve begun communicating aboutwhat they see as the mission of the small business community inBrookhaven. They’ve seen there can be benefits of coming togetherand pooling resources.”

But in the meantime, chamber officials said they believe theprogram will be a real positive for the city’s economy.

“We’re excited about this opportunity, because we’ve beenpromoting the idea of shopping locally, and we’re hoping this willhelp reward those who do,” Foster said.