Plano shoppers get free bonus gift cards starting Nov. 13

Downtown Plano shoppers can receive a free gift card worth half the price of their purchase starting Nov. 13. The city will launch the second year of this holiday promotion to drive foot traffic to local merchants.

The offer is straightforward: a $50 purchase yields a free $25 card, while a $100 purchase yields a free $50 card. Michelle Hawkins, Downtown and Cultural Arts Manager, stated that the goal is to encourage people to buy the cards for themselves or as gifts and then spend the money within the district.

Funds for the program come from the downtown Public Improvement District, or PID. Hawkins noted that the program continues until the allocated money runs out. In the first year, the initiative lasted through January.

The PID is a 10-year district that began in 2023. It pools money from the city and local property owners to support beautification, marketing, and events. Property owners contribute based on the square footage of their buildings, and unused revenue carries over to the next fiscal year.

The city contributes up to $120,000 annually to the PID, though this amount is not mandatory. Hawkins said the PID received extra funding in 2025 after the city council approved a specific project. The council approved the FY 2026-27 budget for the district in August.

Beyond gift cards, PID money has paid for window cleaning, holiday decorations, and rooftop lights. It has also funded community events such as scavenger hunts, movie screenings at Haggard Park, Art Fest, and Steinfest. An art competition for Plano ISD students to design downtown banners is scheduled for spring 2027.

Hawkins emphasized that many downtown properties have been in the same families for generations. She said supporting these small business owners distinguishes downtown Plano from newer commercial districts.