Park Avenue businesses launch city’s first shopping crawl

Long Beach has been known for its unofficial pub-crawls — there’s even an annual pizza crawl — but on Sunday, a number of local businesses will host the city’s first-ever shopping crawl. Thirteen stores are participating in what has been dubbed the Park Avenue Shopping Crawl and are offering special discounts and refreshments to shoppers from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“We just thought it would be nice to have a local day of shopping, and a day where the ladies could have a little bit of fun while they’re doing it,” said Trish Daly, owner of The Blue Bungalow. Daly — who opened the gift and jewelry shop, located at 248 W. Park Ave., in July with business partner Jeanne Jamin — said she came up with the idea for the event and organized it with Salvage Chic owners Stephanie Thornton and Melissa Barnett.

The Blue Bungalow and Salvage Chic will be checking-in guests between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m., and supplying participants with instructions, wristbands and maps. According to Daly, there will be a “nice mix” of stores participating in the crawl, including Unsound surf shop, Bikram Yoga, Joseph Christopher Salon and Spa, and several trendy clothing stores.

In addition to a raffle prize, Salvage Chic will be offering 25 percent off total purchases. Guests will have their maps stamped in each store, and, upon receiving all 13 stamps, they will have a chance to win any or all of the 13 prizes offered by the individual stores.

Shoppers that spend $100 in any of the stores will also be entered to win a beach cruiser bicycle. More than 200 people have already preregistered for the event, and Thornton said its’s her hope that the crawl will raise awareness about stores in Long Beach, just before the holiday season.

“It really is going to cross promote our businesses with everyone else’s,” she said. “It’s going to encourage shoppers to go into a store that maybe they’ve never gone into before.”

At the end of the crawl, an after party will be held at Sutton Place between 6 and 8 p.m., where shopping crawl participants with wristbands will receive drink specials. With the strong buzz they’ve received so far, Daly is hoping to make the crawl an annual event.

“If everybody is happy, we would love to extend it,” she said. “Who knows, we could make it a two-day event next year if everybody is really interested in it.” Participants may preregister for the crawl by emailing ParkAveShoppingCrawl@gmail.com.

Participating Stores:

The Blue Bungalow, 248 W. Park Ave.

Salvage Chic, 156 E. Park Ave.

Joseph Christopher, 254 W. Park Ave.

Josef Rose, 46 E. Park Ave.

Pinup, 58 E. Park Ave.

Bikram Yoga Long Beach, 120 E. Park Ave.

Santos Floral Designs, 128A E. Park Ave.

Cover Girl, 130 E. Park Ave.

NY Threads, 132 E. Park Ave.

Ooh la la, 134 E. Park Ave.

Phoebe’s 140 E. Park Ave.

Frippery, 164 E. Park Ave.

Unsound Surf, 359 E. Park Ave.

Sutton Place, 124 W. Park Ave.