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Experience Princeton reports rising digital gift-card sales and storefront grants; seeks partners for summer internship and Main Street grant
Summary
Isaac Kramer, executive director of Experience Princeton, told the council the organization sold nearly $15,000 in gift cards in the last 30 days and has seen growth in program activity; staff described storefront grants, a new pastry shop opening and plans for a summer intern and a March 3 Main Street New Jersey grant application.
Isaac Kramer, executive director of Experience Princeton, briefed the Mayor and Council on Feb. 24 about recent economic-development activity downtown, highlighting a rise in digital gift-card sales, completed storefront-grant projects and forthcoming projects including a summer internship and a Main Street New Jersey grant application.
Kramer said the organization’s monthly e-blast saw a 62% open rate in January and that its restaurant-week launch party drew more than 50 attendees. He noted recent storefront-grant recipients—the Center Barber Shop and Princeton Bridle—and the reopening of a rebranded pastry shop, House of Ishaan, whose owner draws on Kyrgyz roots and culinary training in New York.
On the digital gift-card program Kramer said: "In the last 30 days, we've sold $14,987.50 in gift cards — $10,275 in direct card sales and $4,812.50 in bonus credit," and that since the program’s October 2023 launch the program has distributed additional bonuses and incentives. He said Experience Princeton has about $19,000 of gift-card bonus remaining and estimated that if those bonuses were claimed the program could put roughly $59,943 more in local gift-card value into circulation within a short period.
Kramer also described programmatic work in progress: evaluating an eight-week, full-time summer internship for a college student to assess the Improvement District’s impact on local businesses; preparing a Main Street New Jersey transformation grant application due March 3; and drafting a fiscal-year 2025–26 budget to bring before council. He thanked a volunteer corps of more than 50 people who contributed about 2,937 hours last year.
Council reaction included public appreciation from Councilmember Layton for Kramer’s visible outreach to retailers. Kramer left printed posters and lawn signs behind for council members to distribute and invited questions from council.
Why it matters: Digital gift-card incentives and storefront grants seek to boost downtown spending and small-business visibility; the Main Street grant and internship would support program evaluation and planning.
Next steps: Kramer said Experience Princeton will finalize its grant application on March 3 and present a proposed FY2025–26 budget to council in a forthcoming meeting.
