For the past few months, you’ve been faithfully budgeting your income, and you’ve allotted $20 this week to spend however you want. Instead of buying more makeup online or stocking six-packs for a house party, think about investing in local Hillsdale businesses. In fact, you only need $20 to have a lot of fun downtown.
First head over to the Jonesville Bakery at 10 a.m. to grab a ginormous donut and a coffee. This bakery’s donuts are huge, delectable, and baked fresh every morning. Price range: $1-$3. Then park on Howell Street in downtown Hillsdale and check out the shops: Hero’s Nest sells comic books for as low as $3.50, and Maribeth’s is having a sale, which means you can steal a sweater for as low as $10.
For lunch, you have a couple options: you could walk over to Checker Records, which sells bagels with cream cheese for $1.50 and a king-sized coffee for less than $2 (cups of water are free), or you can walk down to the Filling Station for a $5 sandwich, or to Handmade Sandwiches and Beverages for a $7-$8 sandwich and a $3 cup of smooth, creamy ice cream.
From there you have a couple options for your afternoon: Mrs. Stock’s Park offers a free walk, but you could also sit down at Toasted Mud to paint a tile or a wine stopper for less than $15, or you could pop over to Ten on the Table to get an “express manicure” for $14 (the spa offers other services for under $20 as well).
If you want to see a movie at the Premiere Theater on Carleton Road, tickets are $7.75 (but $5 on Tuesdays).
So here’s the deal: Hillsdale offers quality food and entertainment services for pretty affordable prices, and it’s pretty easy to stretch $20 downtown on a Saturday. By investing in the city, you can support the Hillsdale economy. If more money circulates through the hands of business owners, entrepreneurs, and consumers, then the city will be able reinvest in itself and provide better goods and services. Supporting local business is a big deal, and Hillsdale has a lot to offer, so do it.
Start by buying a humongous peanut butter creme donut from the Jonesville Bakery.