GREENFIELD — The restaurant industry was disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the often crippling restrictions put in place to help curb the spread of the virus, not to mention the enormous reduction in customers’ income when the economy nearly came to a halt.
Many fast food establishments and chain eateries have the corporate structure to sustain a few major blows, but locally owned places are usually not as lucky. So the management team at Greenfield Savings Bank, most notably President and CEO John Howland, decided to do something to try to boost business at restaurants in Franklin and Hampshire counties without costing a dime to the eateries.
The result was a roughly $50,000 advertising campaign — in newspapers, on the radio and on social media. This campaign included ads in the Greenfield Recorder and Daily Hampshire Gazette listing the names and information of at least 200 restaurants, and offered bank customers bonus points on debit card usage at these establishments.
“Before the pandemic, we went to restaurants all the time, and the pandemic shifted our whole local scene,” Howland said. “These restaurants, mostly locally owned, have a significant impact on our local economy. … A lot of (employees) were long-term people at these restaurants.”
He said the impact on eateries has a ripple effect on the food vendors and farms that supply them.
The campaign started in March and was extended through April. The restaurant database can be found on the bank’s website at bit.ly/3tnbn6L.
Paul Benjamin, marketing director for Greenfield Savings Bank, said the bank’s customers used debit cards to spend $1 million at the listed restaurants in March — this is $200,000 more than the next busiest month in the past half-year. He also mentioned the $1 million does not include money spent via cash and other cards.
“We can see tangible results here,” Benjamin said. He mentioned April’s figures are not yet available.
The bank also multiplied the number of Buzz Points rewards — benefits specific to Greenfield Savings Bank — every time one of the bank’s debit cards was used at the restaurants. Points were fivefold in March and tenfold in April. The points can be redeemed at any Buzz Points preferred local business or online for gift cards to major retailers, restaurants and for travel.
Benjamin and Howland said perhaps a few eateries were mistakenly left out of the directory, but efforts were made to rectify this.
Howland mentioned customers were asked to dine at the restaurants, if possible, and to order takeout as often as they can. People were also encouraged to tip generously.
Benjamin said only about 5 percent of the listed businesses are Greenfield Savings Bank customers.
Amy McMahan, who has owned Mesa Verde in Greenfield for 18½ years, said the ad campaign was “just a really cool gesture.” She said she noticed a recent uptick in Buzz Points activity.
“It really encourages people to keep things local,” she said. “I love the incentivization, and I think it creates a consciousness of how important it is to support local businesses.”
Debra Flynn, who has owned Eastside Grill in Northampton since May 5, 2008, said Greenfield Savings Bank is her banking institution and it has gone above and beyond during these challenging times.
“They’ve been like the lifeline for the restaurants in the valley. I’m so fortunate to have them as my bankers. They’ve been great during this whole pandemic,” she said. “I can’t even begin to tell you how grateful I am. They’ve been like a shoulder to cry on.”
Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or
413-772-0261, ext. 262.