Ditch your skinny jeans and heels — shopping in your PJs is all the rage this holiday season.
I had the opportunity to chat with the delightful keepers of four of Savannah’s premier inns who dreamed up the Savannah Pajama Shop Hop — a shopping experience in your pajamas. You won’t want to miss this exciting, month-long event that offers the best of holiday shopping with never-before-offered savings at more than 60 of Savannah’s best stores, galleries, restaurants, bars and tours.
Wearing your PJs out in public? Teresa Jacobson, innkeeper of the Azalea Inn and Gardens, tells me: “It’s the couch-potato’s answer to public speaking, or perhaps it’s the most fun one can have in PJs outside your bedroom. Actually, the concept was a brainstorm idea while we were discussing ways to increase revenue in December. Little girls love pajama parties, little boys like to have sleepovers — we are all grown up now, but why not treat ourselves to the fun of childhood but in a slightly more grown-up way?
“I adore the idea of spending the day in my PJs, cruising through the downtown area in search of bargains as the holidays approach. The very idea of a luncheon in my jams, or dinner and drinks in my slightly “finer” nightwear (yet still maintaining a demure appearance), makes a smile stretch from ear to ear.”
I love Teresa’s enthusiasm!
So what’s the catch — why shop in your PJs? Most of the participating merchants are offering discounts, gift with purchase or an entrance into a drawing. For example, SavannahInns.com is offering a two-night stay at the inn of your choice to every participant who (1) makes purchases at a minimum of 10 participating merchants, and (2) returns the passport with proof of purchase to any one of the four participating inns to be entered into a New Year’s Day drawing.
Oh yes, the catch: You must have a passport — not the traditional United Sates of America Passport, but the official Savannah Inns Pajama Shop Hop Passport. If you are a guest at one of the Savannah Inns, the passport is free; otherwise, drop off a Toys for Tots donation at any of the inns in exchange for a passport.
“By shopping downtown,” says Jackie Heinz, innkeeper of the Zeigler House Inn, “the crowds will be less, there will be discounts with your passport and you can do it in the comfort of your PJs. How can that not be fun?”
I think it’s so perfectly Savannah that four of our inns have partnered for this promotion. How did the partnership come about?
Jacobson tells me: “The group originated in 2007 and consisted of only three innkeepers, though we added a fourth two years ago. We all had belonged to larger inn-focused marketing groups but found that management by consensus was slowing progress and actually hindering our growth. Though each property is unique and offers different levels of service and amenities, what ties us together can be bundled into a few major points: We love our city and introducing visitors to her charms every day of the year. We are progressive forward thinkers who recognize that we must continually seek betterment — in our personal lives, business lives and in the lives of the people who count on us to share the best of Savannah with them.
“We are not afraid to try and fail — if we believed in the adage ‘we’ve always done it this way,’ we would not have come through the recession with our friendships and businesses intact.”
The concept of wearing pajamas while shopping was inspired by a similar event in Fernandina Beach, Fla., that takes place the day after Thanksgiving each year. It has been a pretty successful one-day event for the city, and participants have been known to wear some pretty outrageous PJs. SavannahInns.com’s group of women innkeepers rarely does anything on a small scale, so the idea of a month-long event began to take shape. Once they tied in the Toys for Tots holiday event and gauged the level of participation, they knew they had the makings of a fabulous Savannah holiday extravaganza.
So where to shop? Innkeeper Shannon Blackburn of the Dresser Palmer House says, “My first choice is always to start with the downtown design district — a great way to work your way through the historic district.”
While it is a month-long event, there will be a kickoff evening from 4 to 7 p.m. Nov. 29 at 24E on Brouhgton Street. This is also the same evening as the downtown design district’s Holiday Stroll from 5:30 to 9 p.m.
I expect to see all of you there in your PJs along with me! For more info, visit savannahinns.com.
Amy Brock is the social media voice of Visit Savannah. Have an event or idea for her?
Tweet to @Amy_Brock or @VisitSavannah or email abrock@visitsavannah.com.
PARTICIPATING MERCHANTS
• 1790 Restaurant – 307 E. President St. – 912-236-7122
• 24E – 24 E. Broughton St. – 912-233-2274
• 45 Bistro – 123 E. Broughton St. – 912-234-3111
• American Craftsman – 223 W. Broughton St. – 912-239-8989
• Antiquities – 20 W. State St. – 912-234-3733
• Arthur Smith Antiques – 402 Bull St. – 912-236-9701
• C.H. Brown Antiques – 14 W. Jones St.– 912-236-0732
• Café Gelatohhh - 202 W. St Julian St. – 912-234-2344
• Casa De Moda – 110 W. Broughton St. – 912-234-0736
• Cha Bella – 102 E. Broad St. – 912-790-7888
• Civvies New & Recycled Clothing – 22 E. Broughton St. – 912-236-1551
• Clipper Trading Co. – 201 W. Broughton St. – 912-238-3660
• Corner Door Antiques – 417 Whitaker St. – 912-238-5869
• Cotton Exchange Tavern & Restaurant – 201 E. River St. – 912-232-7088
• Custard Boutique – 422 Whitaker St. – 912-232-4733
• D. Luxe Savannah - 413 Whitaker St. - 205-903-0352
• Daydreams Boutique – 180 W. Broughton St. – 912-232-3372
• Downstairs Gallery – 19 W. Gordon St. – 912-233-0920
• E. Shaver, Bookseller – 326 Bull St. – 912-234-7257
• Fab’rik – 318 W. Broughton St. – 912-234-8470
• Folklorico – 440 Bull St. – 912-232-9300
• Frieze – 1 W. Jones St. – 912-335-7434
• Gap – 122 W. Broughton St. – 912-790-0977
• Go Fish Savannah – 160 W. Broughton St. – 912-231-0609
• Jazz’d – 52 Barnard St. – 912-236-7777
• Julia Christian Gallery – 114 W. Taylor St. – 912-234-1960
• Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace – 10 E. Oglethorpe Ave. – 912-233-4501
• Kitchens on the Square – 38 Barnard St. – 912-236-0100
• La’ Berry – 225 W. Broughton St. – 912-233-1900
• LaPaperie – 409 Whitaker St. – 912-443-9349
• Levy Jewelers – 101 E. Broughton St. – 912-233-1163
• Liquid Sands Glass Gallery – 5 W. York St. – 912-232-3600
• Lulu’s Chocolate Bar – 42 MLK Blvd. – 912-238-2012
• Madame Chrysanthemum – 101 W. Taylor St. – 912- 238-3355
• Magnolia’s of Savannah – 137 Bull St. – 912-236-1004
• Mercer House Carriage Shop – 430 Whitaker St. - 912-236-6352
• Mirage Restaurant – 20 E. Broughton St. – 912-236-5464
• Nourish – 202 W. Broughton St. – 912-232-3213
• No. Four Eleven – 411 Whitaker St. – 912-443-0065
• One Eyed Lizzie’s – 417 E River St. – 912-341-8897
• One Fish Two Fish – 401 Whitaker St. – 912-447-4600
• River Street Sweets – 13 E. River St. – 912-629-4162
• Savannah Cigars at City Market – 308 W. Congress St., City Market - 912-224-1946
• Savannah Shoe Co. – 226 W. Broughton St. – 912-232-2334
• Serendipity Gift Boutique – 204 W. Broughton St. – 912-234-0474
• Sixth Sense Tours – multiple tour locations – 866-666-3323
• Southern Charm Antiques – 250 Bull St. – 912-233-9797
• Spa Bleu – 101 Bull St. – 912-236-1490
• Sylvester & Co. – 205 W. Broughton St.
• The Clothing Warehouse – 217 W. Broughton St. – 912-233-2034
• The Frayed Knot – 6 W. State St. – 912-233-1240
• The Pirate’s House Restaurant – 20 East Broad St. – 912-233-2225
• The Salt Table – 51 Barnard St. – 912-447-0220
• Thomas Kinkade City Market Gallery – 211 W. Saint Julian St. – 912-447-4660
• Trunk 13 Boutique – 414 Whitaker St. – 912-349-4129
• Villa Savanna & Sub Zero – 109 W. Broughton St.
• Wright Square Café – 21 W. York St. – 912-238-1150
• Yves Delorme, Inc. – 134 Whitaker St. – 912-232-3563