Tommy Perry, owner of Eugene’s General Store, said lottery ticket sales are as brisk as ever.
Perry said he sees “a lot of strange faces” in his store on Friday nights. “They’re in for pop and chips and cigarettes and lottery tickets,” he said.
Over at Tignish Co-op, store manager Paul King says his store’s parking lot is filled on Friday nights but his grocery store is not. The store’s gas bar is noticeably busier on draw nights, though.
King is not complaining that most of the cars are simply on his lot so that the passengers can play Chase the Ace across the road.
“It’s good for the community,” he said. “It’s bringing people. We’re still getting traffic from it.” He contemplates some of the sales his store generates on Friday nights are from people who are visiting the store for the first time.
“It’s wonderful. I think it’s really good.”
Judy Morrissey-Richard, owner of MJ’s Bakery, said her business doesn’t benefit directly, because her store closes at 5 p.m. on Fridays, before the rush for tickets gets underway.
She embraces the positive impact the lottery is having for four organizations, the legion, fire hall, arena and health centre.
“They’re coming from everywhere,” Morrissey-Richard said of the crowd Chase the Ace draws. “It’s helping everybody.”
She does, however, have concerns about traffic congestion, especially if the crowd keeps building towards the levels experienced in Cape Breton.
But, she said, “it’s a phenomenal fundraiser.” She noted it takes some pressure off the fire department in having to constantly come up with fundraising activities to cover its equipment purchases.
At Shirley’s Café, owner Shirley Harper has been noticing a difference. For the last two weeks people have started showing up at her business around 3 p.m. looking for something to eat.
“They drop their cars off at the legion or arena and walk over,” she said.
She brings in extra staff to handle the increased traffic flow. Business remains brisk until around 7 p.m.
Perry said the drive-thru at Eugene’s also sees increased traffic on draw nights.
“We can handle it,” he says of the extra business. “It’s a benefit; I’ll never turn them away.”
Louis Shea, manager of the Tignish Credit Union is welcoming the extra revenue the lottery is bringing to Tignish organizations and businesses, and hoping the excitement does not cause people to spend beyond their means, but he welcomes the way the lottery is benefitting organizations and businesses in the community. He said it has also generated extra traffic and withdrawals from the credit union’s already busy automated teller.
“Anything that’s good for our businesses is good for the credit union and our community,” Shea said.
Perry marvels at the crowd the lottery attracts. He said he was driving back into the community after one of the draws and between Elmsdale Corner and Tignish he counted 235 cars heading east.
“Who would’ve thought it would spin into this?” he reflected.
Tommy Perry, owner of Eugene’s General Store, said lottery ticket sales are as brisk as ever.
Perry said he sees “a lot of strange faces” in his store on Friday nights. “They’re in for pop and chips and cigarettes and lottery tickets,” he said.
Over at Tignish Co-op, store manager Paul King says his store’s parking lot is filled on Friday nights but his grocery store is not. The store’s gas bar is noticeably busier on draw nights, though.
King is not complaining that most of the cars are simply on his lot so that the passengers can play Chase the Ace across the road.
“It’s good for the community,” he said. “It’s bringing people. We’re still getting traffic from it.” He contemplates some of the sales his store generates on Friday nights are from people who are visiting the store for the first time.
“It’s wonderful. I think it’s really good.”
Judy Morrissey-Richard, owner of MJ’s Bakery, said her business doesn’t benefit directly, because her store closes at 5 p.m. on Fridays, before the rush for tickets gets underway.
She embraces the positive impact the lottery is having for four organizations, the legion, fire hall, arena and health centre.
“They’re coming from everywhere,” Morrissey-Richard said of the crowd Chase the Ace draws. “It’s helping everybody.”
She does, however, have concerns about traffic congestion, especially if the crowd keeps building towards the levels experienced in Cape Breton.
But, she said, “it’s a phenomenal fundraiser.” She noted it takes some pressure off the fire department in having to constantly come up with fundraising activities to cover its equipment purchases.
At Shirley’s Café, owner Shirley Harper has been noticing a difference. For the last two weeks people have started showing up at her business around 3 p.m. looking for something to eat.
“They drop their cars off at the legion or arena and walk over,” she said.
She brings in extra staff to handle the increased traffic flow. Business remains brisk until around 7 p.m.
Perry said the drive-thru at Eugene’s also sees increased traffic on draw nights.
“We can handle it,” he says of the extra business. “It’s a benefit; I’ll never turn them away.”
Louis Shea, manager of the Tignish Credit Union is welcoming the extra revenue the lottery is bringing to Tignish organizations and businesses, and hoping the excitement does not cause people to spend beyond their means, but he welcomes the way the lottery is benefitting organizations and businesses in the community. He said it has also generated extra traffic and withdrawals from the credit union’s already busy automated teller.
“Anything that’s good for our businesses is good for the credit union and our community,” Shea said.
Perry marvels at the crowd the lottery attracts. He said he was driving back into the community after one of the draws and between Elmsdale Corner and Tignish he counted 235 cars heading east.
“Who would’ve thought it would spin into this?” he reflected.
