10/07/2026
I have a question for my fellow SMALL business owners and residents out there...
Whether I'm successful with my "project" in November, I am thinking of bringing an idea to the city for a history tour of Atascadero. There would be two versions, one walking and one by bicycle or car. Visit various sites throughout the area, starting at The Printery and ending with City Hall and either take a picture of plaques that would be put in place describing the landmarks, or even have a QR code that someone could scan into an app. Collect all of them, and the city would award you an official coin.
With regard to our pie business, if someone showed us that coin, we would put out the word that we would give a slight discount. We sell slices for $6 at all the farmers markets, but could knock a dollar off if we saw the official coin. I'm wondering if any other businesses out there might be able to commit to something like this, no matter how slight. For example, maybe 5% off a total purchase, or an appetizer for free if someone ordered a certain amount of food, or even a special dish just for coin holders. Maybe even publish a guide that lists all the businesses taking part. I figure, in addition to giving the discounts, it would even give visitors a reason to stop here on their next trip through. The possibilities are pretty wide.
Here's an example of a coin I received from the sheriffs at The Burning Man festival in September. It seems pretty cheap to make and we could get really creative with it. Maybe have City Hall or even a collection of coins with different historical landmark photos on them.
Thoughts?
Ian Denchasy
Candidate for City Council, 2026.