It’s a guy thing: Night to shop while enjoying a brew and a ball game

By Kathy Cook Hunter

Think of it, men: a night of Christmas shopping located mostly at Seven Brides Brewery. You can watch sports on the big-screen TV and drink beer while perusing vendors’ tables around the edges of The Tap Room.

What better way to shop for the man who normally is searching for gifts on Christmas Eve, doesn’t have a clue what to get, or dislikes shopping? Plus two pints of beer come with the $10 admission ticket.

Seven Brides first Men’s Night Out is 6-10 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 8 at Tap Room. Men can show up any time during the evening for holiday shopping with man-pleasing amenities. With very little effort a guy will be set to be the hero in his household with his holiday shopping done and wrapped. Participants will also be entered in a drawing for the proverbial “girl’s best friend,” a diamond.

Seven Brides planned the event showcasing about 20 local vendors. There will be complimentary gift wrap, donated by Ken McGee of Aflac, along with hourly gift drawings.

Jeff DeSantis, one of Seven Brides’ owners, manages the bistro-style restaurant. He had the idea for a men’s shopping night some time ago, he said, but at his home rather than the brewery. However, the recently opened Tap Room now offers the necessary space, so DeSantis brought up his idea at a downtown merchants’ meeting.

He asked Silverton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Stacy Palmer about doing something similar to the chamber’s annual Ladies’ Night Out.

“The vendors will gear the presents for the women in the men’s lives. It will be tasteful, and we’ll have sports on TV, food and drinks,” DeSantis said.

Palmer said the merchants’ group was brainstorming what it could do for Christmas.

“And when this idea came up, people said yes, let’s do it,” Palmer said.

The chamber is partnering with Men’s Night Out by promoting and advertising it, helping recruit vendors and encouraging local shopping, Palmer said.

DeSantis’ suggestion has been met with enthusiasm.

“I immediately said, ‘I’m in,’” said Jose De La Rosa of Allison and Israel Jewelers, which will provide the diamond. “At Christmas 90 percent of my sales are men shopping for their significant other. With this they’ll go to one place (‘one stop does it all’), it’s a fun night, and they can come to some shops later. Hopefully, they’ll buy a lot, but if not, it’s still good for me.

“The vendors don’t have to pay a fee, and he kept it local. That’s why it’s so positive and why I’m so into it. I would support it for years to come,” De La Rosa added.

DeSantis is asking each vendor to contribute to gift bags for drawing winners. Entrants must be present to receive a bag, but not to win the diamond.

Deb Harroun of Miche Bags will be there, too. She sees several benefits of the men’s night out.

“It shows not only the locals but those outside the community what we have; there’s an emphasis on shopping local; and if you can’t get it there, you don’t need it,” she said.

Business owner Tim Yount is buying his ticket to shop.

“It will help the economy and help the local merchants,” Yount said, adding Christmas lists will be fresh from Thanksgiving gatherings, creating another advantage.

“This will be a great opportunity to get a lot of vendors in one place with gift wrap – the men can shop quickly. We have a list, get it done.”

Sherry Hoefel of Hoefel Haus will sell her caramels.

“I’ll have several different flavors,” she said, “and they’ll be in Christmas bags for the holidays. These are six to a bag, good for stocking-stuffers and hostess gifts.” She’ll also take orders for larger amounts of the butterscotch, chocolate-peppermint, butter rum, vanilla fleur de sel and chocolate-and-vanilla varieties that will be on hand that evening.

Vendors include Pomegranate, Moonstone Spa, Visions Beauty Salon, Silverton Beverage, Demarle specialized kitchenware, Tupperware, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Silver Creek Soap, Stella & Dot, Willow House, Party Lite, as well as Vitis Ridge Winery and Seven Brides Brewery.

Merchants with shops in downtown Silverton who can’t set up a table at the Tap Room are welcome to participate, DeSantis said, by staying open 7 to 9 p.m.

Beginning at 7 p.m. and operating every half-hour a Silver Trolley shuttle will take shoppers downtown and back to the Tap Room. Participating merchants have agreed to donate to the drawings. “That’s a win-win-win, all the way around,” DeSantis said.

He expects women in the community to see the list of vendors and let their spouses and other male family members know their preferences.

“The ultimate goal is to have the guys get what the women need – and get it here in town,” he said.