Metro’s Eat, Shop, Play (ESP) campaign kicks off today its activities in Inglewood with a Lunch Meet-Up at Orleans & York Deli http://orleansandyorkdeli.com/ in Inglewood, 400 E. Florence Ave, Inglewood, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Lunch Meet-ups are monthly gatherings, including community members from neighborhoods where Metro is constructing new rail lines can socialize and enjoy delicious food, while playing an important role in helping to support businesses impacted by construction.

The idea behind these lunch events is that everyone can chip in to help neighborhood businesses and you can even do it during your lunch break.

Following the Inglewood lunch today, the Purple Line Extension Phase 1 will kick off its first Lunch Meet-Up at Origen Mexican Kitchen http://origenmexicankitchen.com/, 5354 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles.The lunches are among several new initiatives that Metro has initiated to help bring focused attention to businesses impacted by construction work in Crenshaw, Inglewood, Little Tokyo, downtown Los Angeles and along the Wilshire corridor.

Note: Each guest is billed separately; Metro does not pay for lunches

Other Eat, Shop, Play offerings to look out for this summer include:

a)    Metro sponsored social media alerts

b)    Vendor Days

c)    Quarterly Drawings (up to $1,000 in cash)

Social Media

Eat, Shop, Play will continue to spotlight individual businesses with Metro-sponsored promotional videos, photos and alerts. Sign up to receive Business Spotlights by clicking “Take the Pledge” at metro.net/eatshopplay. You may also follow us on Facebook and Twitter:

#espcrenshaw

#espInglewood

#espLittleTokyo

#espDTLA

#espWilshire

Vendor Days

On Friday, July 10, ESP will host its first Vendor Day at Union Station in the East Portal. Merchants from Crenshaw, Little Tokyo and Wilshire will display and sell wares as they engage with potential new customers. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Please stop by if you’re in the area.

Quarterly Drawings

Quarterly Drawings provide project-area businesses with incentives to reward customer loyalty. The cash prizes are $1,000, $500 and $250. To enter the drawings, customers may drop off qualifying receipts in receipt collection boxes at participating businesses or online.

While Metro Community Relations staff is busy delivering the new receipts collection boxes during the month of July, photos of receipts may be submitted via cell phone to metro.net/eatshopplay. There’s no limit to the number of qualifying entries per person. Winners will be announced quarterly. The next drawing will be held on Oct.

The first grand prize purchase was made at The Southern Girl Desserts http://southerngirldesserts.com/by Erin Kuechenmeitser of North Hill and the sponsor was Walsh/Shea Corridor Constructors. It pays to Eat, Shop, Play Local!