The Athens Green Card recently launched Feb 14 offering exclusive benefits at local businesses to students and residents aiming to bolster support and revenue for small businesses in rural communities, as opposed to corporate companies.
The Athens Green Card, which is supported by MyCity, was founded by current and former Ohio University student Tevin Mychal. It costs $40 annually and supplies members with special discounts and services for 15 local businesses in the Athens area.
Some benefits businesses offer through the Green Card include a 10% discount on orders at Oryza Asian Grill, 40 S Court St., free soft drinks with any deli purchase at Brenen’s Coffee Cafe, 38 S Court St., one dollar beers all day every day at Red Brick Tavern, 14 N Court St., daily discounts at The Shack Carryout, 20 S Court St., and more, according to the Green Card website.
Before his recent business venture in Athens, Mychal managed a series of nightclubs in Miami, Florida. The MyCity Miami Card, used by Mychal’s nightclubs and other businesses in the area, ultimately laid the foundation for the Athens Green Card.
Following his success in the nightlife industry, Mychal said it was only right for him to return to Athens where it all started, and the only thing he asked of partnering businesses was to honor customers with good deals for becoming a member.
“I wanted to give back and also take advantage of the new things that I've learned, and the new direction I’m about to go (to),” Mychal said.
One business that partnered with the Athens Green Card is Grub-n-Go, located at 11 W. Union St. The “hole-in-the-wall” restaurant was founded by Athens native Todd Thompson. He said he believes his position as a local is mutually beneficial for his business and the Green Card.
The Green Card offers a 10% discount on Grub-n-Go orders but cannot be applied to combo specials, according to the Green Card website.
“I got to thinking about it and (decided) what I really need to be able to do is reach out to townies,” Thompson said. “I grew up here, I know locals don’t come uptown and my business suffers greatly when students leave … We’ve (Mychal and Thompson) talked about getting out in the community to sell cards outside of uptown Athens so everyone is involved.”
Thompson said he sees the card as a benefit for small businesses because the more cards sold, the more people will want to visit those local businesses.
Emma Ingraham, a first-year student studying mathematics, said she appreciates their vision. She said the card appeals to her because it is not just offered to students but to everyone in the community
“I live 15 minutes outside of Athens, and it is a very poor area,” Ingraham said. “Athens, the city, is a very thriving community, but the second you get outside it is not … there’s a big difference.”
The Appalachian areas in Ohio’s southeastern region have consistently ranked among the highest poverty rates in the state, with Athens County maintaining a near 30% poverty rate for nearly 20 years, according to the Ohio Poverty Report.
Despite being an Athens resident her whole life, Ingraham said there are some businesses included on the Green Card that she’s never tried. She emphasized that businesses who make themselves accessible to the broader Athens community, through special discounts and services, are more likely to build their clientele.
“I think it would be nice to have a reason to go to those places and try them,” Ingraham said.
As the Athens Green Card continues adding local business partners, Mychal said he is enthusiastic about the potential located in Athens County.
“This county is big on sticking together,” Mychal said. “This card is directed towards locals and students. I know a lot of people may not have the opportunity to spend money on food that is good for them on an everyday basis. This offers incentives for people as long as they continue to support local businesses.”
