Midway Merchants recruit Cupid and chocolate for winter promotion Saturday, Feb. 7

By Cameron Owens
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

The thrill of the holiday season has worn off and the winter season has left much to be desired. The last thing on many people’s minds is going outside.

In spite of that, or perhaps because of it, the Midway merchants have strategized a new promotion tied to Valentine’s Day to get folks out the house and spend time with their loved one. 

The “Midway Chocolate Stroll” begins Saturday, Feb. 7 at 1 p.m. The event is sure to be tasty for people to share their love of chocolate a week before Valentine’s Day, a popular time for Midway restaurants.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit Old Friends Horse Farm, a facility for retired Thoroughbreds whose racing and breeding careers have come to an end.

Visitors to the Midway Chocolate Stroll will be encouraged to purchase a $5 ticket at The Crushed Violet at  219 North Gratz St., where they can begin their stroll.

“The ticket will be used by customers to be stamped at each shop they visit to have a chance to win a  Historic Midway gift basket that will be filled with gift certificates, restaurant discounts and items from each shop,” said Melissa Willis, owner of the Savon Apothecary store at 120 East Main St.

Willis said she started this event as a way to promote Midway and the shops on Main Street as well as giving people  something to do on a Saturday when the Kentucky Wildcats basketball team plays  at 9 p.m.

The idea of the Midway Chocolate Stroll is to have each Main Street merchant provide a chocolate treat for everyone to enjoy, as well as Valentine’s Day discounts. Willis says the discounts and types of chocolate will depend on the individual shops.

Claire McCarthy, owner of Celtic Trends, says “Customers can expect a 15 percent store wide discount” at her store. “I’m not sure what type of chocolate I will be serving, but I am considering hot chocolate but it totally depends on the weather that day.”

Visitors can also expect live music from an acoustic artist, a chance to take a picture at a kissing booth, a kettle corn booth and the opportunity to enjoying a glass of wine and chocolate pairings by nearby Equus Run Vineyards.

The Midway Chocolate Stroll will run from 1 to 4 p.m.  “We hope to make this an annual Midway event,” Willis said. “Even if 10 people show up, we want those 10 people to have the best experience.”