Two weeks ago I asked for your input on your favorite local deals – local businesses that went out of their way to offer a good deal to their customers, even though they don’t always have the opportunity to offer coupons. I asked that you e-mail me with your name, contact information and your business of choice so that I could publish it here. You know, give our local businesses a chance to be seen!
I only got a few responses. I’m so disappointed. There was a lot of conversation online about cheap drinks, good deals on eating out and on the 2-for-1 movies at Liberty Hall. I purposely asked for contact information so that I could get a true consumer’s opinion, make sure we didn’t have any business owners promoting themselves. (Not that that is a bad thing, just not in this particular venue.)

Here are the recommendations that I got:
Artemis F. told me that on Wednesday nights at PepperJax Grill you can get two free kid meals when you buy one adult entree. They include wraps, salads and rice bowls in that entree purchase.
Kelli B. told me that she has been able to curb her coffee budget by getting half-price coffee drinks at Java Break from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Half-price and a local business to boot!
As I said earlier, there were lots of deals mentioned online for local eateries and bars: Free State Brewing Co., Wheat State Pizza, Rudy’s, the Casbah, Mad Greek, Henry T’s and Quinton’s. You will have to visit the “Shop Talk with Jenn and Julie” blog to read about those.

Lawrence is a community full of great local businesses that are working to survive in this unsteady economic climate. Because they live and breathe in our community, they often work to make their services more affordable to those of us who use them – or need them. I continue to be interested to hear about the less-publicized, good-intentioned deals that are offered throughout the community by our local merchants.
Thanks to those who sent me their recommendations. I very much appreciate it. I’m open anytime to hear about an exceptional local deal or business that you want to tell me about. While I’m not able to mention every deal that comes my way, and our definitions of deals may vary from time to time, I do appreciate hearing from each of you about them.

• Jenn Hethcoat, a mother of three and coupon expert, and Julie Anderson, a mother of two who is learning the ropes of shopping frugally, write the Shop Talk blog at LJWorld.com/blogs.