RETAIL WATCH:
HADINGER AREA RUG GALLERY HOLDS SIXTH ANNUAL TEACHER RUG
GIVEAWAY
Teachers line up outside Hadinger's in Naples, FL in
pre-dawn hours for a first-come, first-served rug
giveaway held the week before school begins each year.
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NAPLES,
FL - For the sixth consecutive year, teachers lined up in pre-dawn hours
outside the 10,000 square-foot Hadinger Area Rug Gallery in Naples, FL
for the retailer's annual Teachers' Rug Giveaway event on Saturday,
August 15, 2015. The store gives away 100 free area rugs to teachers
from Collier and Lee counties for their classrooms, and the only
qualifier is they show their teacher ID.
An
unusual twist on Back-to-School, the event rewards teachers for their
service to the community, co-owner Judy Hadinger told RugNews.com.
"They use the rugs in reading areas in the classrooms, and this year I
noticed many teachers were from schools in low income communities so we
are happy about that. But I’m not sure how many rugs actually end up in
classrooms. It is fine with us if the teachers take their rugs home;
teachers are not paid enough for the great work they do," she explained.
The view seen by employees of Hadinger Area Rug Gallery before
the store opened its doors to teachers.
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Hadinger said teachers started queuing up between 3 and 4 a.m. and a
local Starbucks came to hand out coffee. "The rugs are given out on a
first-come, first-served basis-one rug per person. Everyone gets a
number and when the doors open we let in 10 at a time. We opened at
6:30 and by 9 all the rugs were gone," she said.
The
promotion is advertised locally and on social media, advising teachers
to show up early. Hadinger personally picks the rugs, which include
sizes from 4x6 to 8x10. The company actively supports a variety of
charitable and community causes.
Free rugs for classrooms, one per person, build great
community spirit and show support for teachers.
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08.21.15
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