Martens said there were a lot of out-of-town shoppers this year, and she heard that nearly every store was packed with shoppers.
Like last year, the chamber sponsored a gift basket giveaway to encourage people to shop in Sallisaw. This year five baskets, worth about $275 each, were given away during the open house. Martens said the basket items were donated from the 37 participating merchants.
The winners of the basket giveaway were Mary Winkleman of Owasso, Kate Adams of Checotah, and Darlynn Cast, Amanda Sullivan and Mary Graham, all of Sallisaw.
Participating merchants had entry forms at their businesses, which shoppers filled out at the business. The drawings for the gift baskets were done at the chamber office.
"It encouraged shoppers to go to more merchants because they could fill out a form everywhere they went," Martens said.
The chamber also held a drawing every hour for a $25 chamber check giveaway. Those winners were Helen Bibbs, Jerry Methan, Earline Barger and Scherry Stavely.
The chamber is also encouraging holiday shopping in Sallisaw through a "Shop Sallisaw" campaign, which is giving county residents the opportunity to win $2,500 in cash by shopping at participating Sallisaw merchants.
Twenty-five chamber businesses are taking part in the campaign, which ends at noon Dec. 8.
Martens said when residents make a purchase at one of the participating merchants during the campaign, they will be given a two-part ticket, which has a number on each part. One part of the ticket is kept by the merchant and later turned into the chamber, while the other part is kept by the customer.
Martens said tickets to enter the campaign are now available at all 25 participating businesses, but she said that customers need to ask if the business is participating in the Shop Sallisaw campaign and ask for a ticket.
At Wal-Mart, greeters have the tickets, and as customers leave the store, they can show their receipt to get a ticket for the cash giveaway, Martens said.
The three cash prizes - $1,200, $800 and $500 - will be given away on Dec. 9 before Sallisaw's Christmas parade. Martens pointed out that the time that the winning tickets will be drawn has been changed from 5:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. in front of Stanley Tubbs Memorial Library in Sallisaw. Martens noted that the winners must be present with their ticket to claim the prize.
