The NorthShore Merchants Collective is hosting its fifth annual Holiday Window Treasure Hunt to benefit the Northside Neighborhood House. The Hunt begins Friday, Nov. 22, the weekend of the Northshore’s Holiday Open House, and runs through Jan. 5, 2020.
To join in the fun, Chattanoogans need only to pick up a game card from any one of 28 participating businesses and start hunting.
Similar to a "find the hidden object in the picture" game, the NorthShore's version takes families to the sidewalk, looking for unlikely hidden items in the holiday-themed decorated windows of local businesses.
For example, you might find an out-of-place ice cream scoop from Clumpies Ice Cream Company in the window of Locals Only Gifts & Goods, or a bottle of Olive Chattanooga olive oil in the window of Frios Gourmet Pops.
New this year, every piece of hidden treasure that is correctly matched with the business where it’s found is counted as an entry for the chance to win a giant gift basket valued at $1,000 - filled with gift certificates and goodies from favorite NorthShore shops and restaurants.
Completed game cards are deposited at one of three NorthShore businesses identified on the card, along with a contribution to be donated to Northside Neighborhood House. (The card states “$1 minimum, $5 recommended, $10 gets you a free hug.”) All collected monies up to $1,000 will be matched by NSMC and donated to the Northside Neighborhood House for its annual Toy Drive. NNH works with its clients to purchase the specific toys and items their children have requested from Santa.
While the Treasure Hunt is a family-fun activity good for the kids, it’s not just for tykes--grab your adult friends for a fun time that benefits a great cause.
This NSMC signature holiday activity was inspired by one of its members, Jamie Paul George of Frazier Avenue's GOOD DOG. Mr. George remembers a similar activity from his childhood in the town of Gillingham in Dorset, England. "It was a lot of fun and an annual tradition there," he said. "You'd run into your friends doing the same thing so it was a good way to catch up with everyone. And the tradition still prevails there."
Participating NorthShore businesses include Adventure Sports Innovation, Association for Visual Arts, Belle Rive Boutique, blue skies, Chattanooga Theatre Centre, Clumpies Ice Cream Company, Epiphany Nail Bar & Hair Studio, Escape Mission Chattanooga, Four Bridges Outfitters, Frios Gourmet Pops, GOOD DOG Restaurant, hair a go-go, Healthy Glow Studio, I Go Tokyo, In-Town Gallery, Learning Express Toys, Locals Only Gifts & Goods, NoBaked Cooke Dough, Nooga Paws, Olive Chattanooga, OZ Bridal by Olia Zavozina, Pigtails & Crewcuts, Plum Nelly Shop & Gallery, Quality Tire Pros, Renew All Things, River Street Deli, Sophies and Winder Binder.