GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado – Downtown businesses are hoping that Earth Day will bring people downtown to enjoy a day of shopping and help restart the local economy.

Steve Swanson, owner of Good Health Downtown Market and Deli on Cooper Avenue, said that through conversations with several other store owners, a joint sale initiative kicking off on Earth Day was a good way to start.

“A lot of places downtown are doing specials for Earth Day,” Swanson said. “We all put it together and started thinking about what we wanted to do.”

That is how the idea for the Rediscover Downtown Glenwood Springs Earth Day Weekend was born. The promotion is intended to draw residents downtown to see what is new, and what downtown retailers and restaurants have to offer.

“There is a lot of promotion around the country for shopping locally,” Swanson said. “We are locally owned. We are locally supported, and we are here for the community. And we want people to come down and see what we have to offer.”

Businesses will offer special promotions like chair massages and wine tasting, starting Thursday and going through Saturday.

Other stores will offer similar promotions, and several of the downtown shops will have sales on everything from food to clothing, according to Swanson.

The Blue Bird Cafe, formerly the Summit Coffee House, will have live music from the Last Minute String Band starting at 7 p.m. Friday. Other businesses like Sacred Grounds will offer Segway demos and trials. Also offered are a fashion show, discounts on items, libations and munchies available for customers.

All together, more than 20 downtown stores – which include the restaurants Fins, Glenwood Canyon Brew Pub, Juicy Lucy’s Steakhouse, May Palace, Peppo Nino’s, and Riviera – are participating this weekend. Retailers include Anderson’s Clothing, Downtown Drug, Night and Dance, Silver Bead, La V. Gifts, Narcissus, NiaMonae’s Boutique, Last Chance Outlet, Cooks Ala Carte, Treadz, D’Tangle Salon, Sunlight Ski and Bike Shop and The Glenwood Vapor Caves.

Jim and Rachel Armstrong, owners of Last Chance Retail Outlet, are new to Glenwood’s downtown selection of shops, and they are excited about this endeavor.

“Steve [Swanson] was like, ‘Hey, let’s do this for Earth Day,'” said Jim Armstrong. “And of course, we were all over it.”

Armstrong said that Swanson is the reason he become involved. The Last Chance Retail Outlet will offer all denim products, including jeans, for only $19.99. And every purchase made enters shoppers into a $100 gift card drawing for the store.

The bigger concept here is the partnership between the downtown Glenwood shops promoting local shopping.

“I think it’s a great idea, having a great deal of people interested in the ability to build these companies up,” said Jim Armstong. “If one store builds up, it helps out the entire community.”

For Swanson, this is a good way to start helping the local economy dig its way out of the recession.

“Rebuilding the local economy starts here, and this is the way we do it,” Swanson said.

jgardner@postindependent.com