Back in December, our Principal + Founder Hayley Nichols sent a letter to Allovus employees. It read:
“This has been a roller coaster of a year. Many small businesses are suffering right now. Thankfully, Allovus has been able to weather the storm, and we are ending the year in a healthy position to propel us into 2021. We want to pay forward a little of our success and help other local businesses in the area. So we are sending you each $100 to have a little fun. Our hope is you use this to get takeout from a local mom and pop restaurant, have a cookie decorating party with your kids (with supplies from a local bakery), buy a gift from a local artist, or help those businesses struggling around you in some other creative way.”
We asked Allovus what they did with their “pay it forward” gift. Get ready for warm fuzzies and read their responses!
Marc Bostian
Allovus Senior Visual Designer
Pay it forward mission: Buy art from a local artist
“This has probably been one of my all-time favorite work-related events!
I purchased 4 prints from local artist Peter Robinson, also known as Ten Hundred (tenhundredart.com). Like everyone, he has been much less busy than normal and most of his mural work has been cancelled due to COVID. So he put together a signed print package to help offset the costs of not working as much. It was within our budget and included some really fun prints. The two skinny prints were originally snowboard deck designs, a career I had in my past which has great memories for me. Maybe someday I will spring for the real printed boards… but this will take up much less room and cost.
He has a great eye for bright colors, and very fun characters. It’s very different from my own work and it reminds me to push my boundaries a bit. Now I just need to get my office back and have them mounted and framed.”
Spring Pumphrey
Allovus Digital Artist/Senior Production Artist
Pay it forward mission: Buy from a local game store and takeout from a mom-and-pop restaurant
“There were two local businesses that we really wanted to support. One was a mom-and-pop takeout place and the other was a store that opened either right before the pandemic or shortly after. It’s a game store and café called The Missing Piece where people can hang out, play or buy board games, and enjoy drinks and snacks. I really wanted them to succeed because I love the whole idea and I was worried that the timing of their opening would make it hard for them to stay in business. We bought a game called Stuffed Fables which is an adventure game where stuffies protect the girl that they belong to. The game board is like a book in that different pages contain the board and instructions for different parts of the story. We’ve never played a board game like this and the kids love that it’s a bit spooky.”
Marina Peirano
Allovus Visual Designer
Pay it forward mission: Buy cooking classes to support chefs
“I’ve decided to invest the money in cooking classes, since I enjoy spending time in the kitchen. I will learn how to bake pastries, pizzas, and cook pastas and empanadas from Argentina. I am very excited about it!”
Karen Walker
Allovus Systems Coordinator
Pay it forward mission: Buy from a local business
“My ‘Pay it Forward’ wasn’t very inventive, but I spent my $100 at Finhom’s Market (opposite our Allovus Studio). They noticed a huge decrease in revenue with their tap room being shut down (before tents were allowed) and people shopping at places like Target instead to save money.
Anyway, the owners Charlie and Anna are so nice and have always been good to us, so we wanted to give them the business. We tried to always buy our beer/wine each Friday… even though it was a bit spendy for us.
As you can see Finholm’s has been around a long time… I love the old signage in the windows, ‘Free Cake w/Coffee’… Charlie often gives us free snacks like nachos or pizza, when we stop in for a beer. So, I guess they’re keeping up tradition in a modern way!”
Finholm’s now
Finholm’s then
Viviane Veraguth
Allovus Senior Strategist
Pay it forward mission: Support a local restaurant
“We spent it in a restaurant here in Seattle called Joule, but I didn’t take any photos. They have a beautiful outdoor space with a fire pit, and they offer loads of vegetarian dishes for us vegans.”
Liz Ashley
Allovus Development Director
Pay it forward mission: Support a local business
Thank you so much for the $100 to help those in need of money. I wanted to let you know that mine went to two very good places. One is the Trails End Book Store in Winthrop. As you can imagine with fewer people traveling, tourist business is down in Winthrop, so every business needs a boost. This is one of my favorites.
I also purchased gifts from another local business and they were even giving a portion of their proceeds to help fund the new Winthrop public library.
Martina Dalton
Allovus Copywriter/Editor
Pay it forward mission: Support a local artist
I know artists are having a particularly hard time during the pandemic. I decided to put my $100 toward commissioning a portrait of our golden retriever, Kodiak. Stacy Carpine, a local artist, did a beautiful job. She even included Forget-me-nots in the painting—the Alaska State flower. (My home state! And Kodiak is also from Alaska, so it’s a double win!)
