<p>I was in Evanston today and learned that Evanston is launching a Downtown Evanston gift card that covers more than 110 businesses in the area. While not all of the businesses are relevant to students, I did see many that were, including Beck's Book Store, Whole Foods, CVS, Cosi, Buffalo Wild Wings, Burger King, the movie theater, and many of the little shops / cafes in the Sherman / Orrington / Church / Davis corridor.</p>
<p>The link / article says that gift cards can be purchased at the Downtown Evanston office at 820 Davis, or at First Bank and Trust at 820 Church. I didn't have time today to swing by either of those locations, but I would have to believe that one should be able to call up and order it online. (They'd be fools not to.) I had been planning on getting my S gift cards to many of the little local places, and this would be far more convenient.</p>
<p>Downtown</a> Evanston | Where Chicago and the North Shore Meet</p>
<p>Don’t most of the places you mentioned already take the Wildcard? And give discounts? </p>
<p>What’s the incentive to get a Downtown evanston Card? Is there a big discount?</p>
<p>I was thinking for a generous grandparent who might buy, say, a $500 card vs ten different $50 cards at various locations for a student to enjoy. Do these places actually take the Wildcard as currency, or just offer a discount? </p>
<p>For both my kids, one in Evanston and one going elsewhere, it just seems like common sense that we would load them up with gift cards to student oriented cafes, restaurants, etc in the surrounding community. That’s how we roll. When my nephew went to Princeton last year, I called a bunch of local places there and put together a basket of gift cards to the local ice cream stores, sandwich shops, etc. As I was driving through Evanston, I was making a mental note of the relevant places (Starbucks, Cosi, Einsteins, Unicorn Cafe, etc) and then heard about this.</p>
<p>The WildCard doesn’t work as a debit card for Evanston businesses. It only works (via MunchMoney) as money for on-campus dining locations/vending machines/laundry.</p>
<p>Student government has been working on getting the WildCard to be a de facto Evanston debit card for a couple of years, and I am unsure why it hasn’t happened yet. My guess is that the finances behind getting companies to sign on and the technology behind it is a bit too advanced for college students (even Northwestern kids).</p>
<p>Not sure if it has happened in the few months, but I suspect that the time is coming where the WildCard will be a one-stop shop for on- and off-campus purchasing.</p>
<p>There’s your answer, nugraddad. The Wildcard isn’t currency.</p>