By Lauren Otis, Staff Writer
If you have a soft spot in your heart for furry friends and fine apparel, then this is your weekend.
Merrick’s clothing store on Moore Street in Princeton will be playing host to a benefit for SAVE – A Friend to Homeless Animals which has grown into a full-blown three-day block party starting today.
”Every year we try to do something for a charity,” said Merrick’s owner Barbara Racich. “I’m an animal lover from way back. For years we had a cat in the store,” Ms. Racich said. Because SAVE is somewhat unique in being a no-kill shelter, which takes on strays from other shelters as well, Ms. Racich said she thought “why don’t we do SAVE this year.”
She began to ask a few neighboring merchants if they wanted to donate an item or a service to the cause, and things snowballed from there. “Just about everyone I mentioned it to was interested,” she said. “Given more time and more energy it would have been an even bigger event.”
Now the list of borough and township merchants participating is impressive. Cox’s Market will serve free coffee and bagels, Sweet Sal’s is supplying hot dogs and drinks, and other donations have come from Bijan Rug Gallery, Cranbury Station Gallery, Creative Screen Printing & Embroidery, Dandeline Clothing, EY Staats & Co. Hair Salon, Pawtisserie, Pink Nails, Pryde Brown Photographs, Joy Cards and Jordan’s Gift Shop. T-shirts will be available and door prizes will be awarded throughout the event.
Additionally, “I will have a special sale in the store, the whole store, which I have never done in 24 years. Twenty- percent off everything in the store for the weekend,” Ms. Racich said.
The event will take place today, Saturday and Sunday. Ms. Racich said she will give over Merrick’s front yard to the event, as well as the rear parking area where hot dogs, drinks and ice cream will be served. Tables will be set up along the sidewalk.
Donation containers for SAVE will be arranged throughout, and SAVE will set up its own bulletin board with animals it has for adoption. “They may even bring some animals,” Ms. Racich said.
For more information, call Merrick’s at 609-921-0338.
