LAURINBURG — Businesses in downtown Laurinburg are gearing up for a Mother’s Day special event.

On Friday, May 7, there will be a Sip and Shop from 5 to 8 p.m. with numerous businesses preparing to welcome families into their shops during extended hours. The event will be the third Sip and Shop since December.

”We are planning to have these events quarterly and, while we were planning on it in May, it just so happened to fall on Mother’s Day weekend,” said Executive Director for the Laurinburg-Scotland Area Chamber of Commerce Chris English. “We’re currently taking nominations for Mother of the Year, who will be announced during the event … the idea came from one of our Downtown Advisory Committee meetings as another way to encourage people to participate.”

The Mother of the Year will win a gift basket full of gift certificates and goodies from all of the participating downtown merchants.

Participating retailers include Art By Design, Brady’s Florist, Color Me Creatif, Fore’s Family Restaurant, Harley’s Tuxedos & Gifts, McNair’s Town and Country, Myra Stone Photography, NuStar Computers, Pretty Pirate Outfitters, Red Willow, Scotland Bling Gift Boutique, Terry’s Boutique, The Weknd Warrior Trade Co. and White’s Jewelry and Repair.

For several of the businesses, it will be their first time participating in the Sip and Shop, and English hopes more will follow their lead.

“We want to the whole thing to continue to grow and continue to bring people to downtown,” English said. “We want to get more people in downtown and we hope that as that continues more of the downtown merchants will participate.”

Myra Stone Photography is new on the list and will be holding portraits with mom in the studio on Roper Street.

“While people are out they’re able to stop in and get a portrait with their mom or mother figure,” Stone said. “I’m booking for it now but I’ll also be doing walk-ins … I’m just excited for people to be able to get their portraits of mom. Everyone I’ve talked to is really excited because they haven’t had a portrait of their mom done in years and I’m excited just to be able to get people in the studio.”

At The Weknd Warrior Trade Co., Harley Locklear, one of the owners, said he’s enjoyed being able to participate in the downtown events.

“The Christmas event was our biggest day of the entire year,” Locklear said. “The February event didn’t bring as many people downtown but there were still people who were out shopping … it’s been a great thing so far for all of us downtown businesses because people are getting out and coming downtown and shopping with us.”

Locklear added there will be some sales in the store including 25% off certain items and a $10 sale rack.

“We really want people to bring the wonderful ladies in their life to downtown and enjoy the shops,” English said. “We really want people to come out and see what downtown Laurinburg has to offer.

Reach Katelin Gandee at kgandee@laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com. To support The Laurinburg Exchange, subscribe here: https://laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com/subscribe.