PATRICIA REDEMEYER-KNUTSON OF RICHMOND has won a $500 “Downtown Dollars” holiday shopping spree, Deborah Meyer, event coordinator for Benicia Main Street, said.

“Redemeyer-Knutson is a long-time shopper in downtown Benicia,” Meyer said. “Her husband, Gordon Knutson, is an employee at Valero Refinery.”

Meyer said Redemeyer-Knutson received the winning raffle ticket while shopping at Romancing the Home.

The winner obtained several tickets because of her purchases at that store, but she didn’t expect to be chosen for the shopping spree, Meyer said.

“When Benicia Main Street’s Executive Director Nancy Martinez presented her with her winnings Friday morning of Dec. 13, Redemeyer-Knutson was very excited to start spending her winnings at her favorite downtown stores,” Meyer said.

She told Meyer that Romancing the Home was at the top of the list because of its holiday-themed home items.

The Downtown Holiday Shopping Spree is an annual promotion conducted this year from Nov. 1 to Dec. 5, Meyer said. It offered shoppers a chance to win $500 in Downtown Dollars that can be spent at most downtown businesses.

For every $10 shoppers spent at participating stores, they earned one entry into the drawing. Main Street has offered the promotion since 2007.

Mayor Elizabeth Patterson drew the winning ticket at the Holiday Open House Dec. 6.

Realtor Night at Rookies to benefit 2 elementary schools

Realtor Night for the Solano Association of Realtors will take place from 6-9 p.m. Wednesday at Rookies Sports Bar and Grill, 321 First St.

The sports bar and restaurant will have special drink, appetizer, dinner and dessert menu, and 20 percent of food proceeds will be donated to Robert Semple and Lincoln elementary schools.

Fantastic Sams customers donate ‘Giving Tree’ presents

Customers of Fantastic Sams, 75 Solano Square, are helping less fortunate Benicia families have a better Christmas, said Karen Love, one of the salon’s owners.

Patrons have donated 27 presents so far to the salon’s “Giving Tree,” Love said.

That means the salon is on its way to match or exceed last year’s contribution of 40 presents.

The presents will be taken Dec. 21 to the Community Action Council for distribution.

“Help us do even more this year, and have a candy cane on us while you visit Fantastic Sams, the salon where your whole family can get the holiday glow,” Love said.

The Benicia Herald’s weekly Benicia Business Beat column is an opportunity for local businesses and companies to tell our readers about such news as moves, grand openings, awards, promotion of employees, staff changes and changes in goods and services.

Submissions need to answer the questions who, what, when, where, why and how, preferably in the body of an email, and provide contact information.

Deadline is 3 p.m. Friday for news items that will appear in the next Tuesday edition’s Benicia Business Beat. Please email news releases and accompanying high-resolution photographs and logos to beniciaherald@gmail.com, and put “Attn. Business Beat” in the subject line, as well as the name of the business.

The Benicia Herald also appreciates area companies’ advertising patronage. For advertising services, call 707-745-0733 or email adsbenicia@yahoo.com.

—Donna Beth Weilenman