2025 Award of Merit: Morganton

Buck Wild

2025 Main Street Award: Promotion

Best Downtown Special Event or Event Series

• Dogwood Health Trust

• Mountain BizWorks

• City of Hendersonville

• Black Wall Street AVL

• Blue Ridge Community College Small Business Center
  

Watch The Award Video

“Buck Wild” is a creative, high-impact retail promotion energized downtown Morganton and delivered real results for local businesses.

Launched by the Morganton Downtown Development Association and the City of Morganton Main Street Department, Buck Wild was a collaborative retail event designed to drive foot traffic and boost sales in the critical weeks leading up to the holiday season. In November, during the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, twelve downtown businesses offered unique promotions that rewarded shoppers with Downtown Bucks— a local currency that could only be redeemed at the business where it was earned.

This wasn’t just a discount program. It was a strategic economic development tool. Each business submitted a plan to “double their bucks,” creating offers that encouraged customers to return for a repeat visit.  Whether it was spinning the “Wheel of Mischief” at Merrill Mischief, playing pinball at Sidetracked Brewery, or earning Bucks with a $50 purchase at Alexander Brooke Boutique, the promotion was designed to be fun, engaging, and effective. And it worked.

In just three weeks, $1,450 in Downtown Bucks were redeemed, generating $7,746 in return-visit sales. That’s a 434% return on investment and an over 5 to 1 economic multiplier. In other words, for every dollar in Bucks redeemed, customers spent more than five dollars more. Many businesses saw especially strong returns, with one store achieving an incredible 18.5 (eighteen and a half) to 1 return on investment. Even more impressive, this success came after a delayed launch due to Hurricane Helene, making Buck Wild not just a retail promotion, but a resilient recovery effort that helped downtown businesses get back on their feet.

The Main Street Office’s thoughtful structure—custom-labeled Bucks, strict expiration dates, and tracking sheets—ensured accountability and measurable impact. And the collaborative spirit of participating merchants brought the program to life, creating a festive, community-driven shopping experience.

Buck Wild didn’t just support local businesses, it strengthened the downtown economy, encouraged repeat visitation, and proved that smart, locally tailored strategies can deliver big results.