BAY MINETTE, Ala. — As students and their parents get ready for the upcoming school year, they can get a discount on their supplies the first weekend of August, thanks to a sales-tax holiday.

Thanks to that holiday, shoppers can get a 10 percent discount on school-related items purchased Aug. 5-7 in Bay Minette.

Put in place by the Bay Minette City Council, the holiday is designed to help offset back-to-school costs for parents and to stimulate the local economy.

According to Bay Minette Mayor Jamie Tillery, the city is happy to offer a small incentive during hard-economic times.

It’s an incentive that Bay Minette resident Traci Denson appreciates.

“Ten percent is 10 percent,” the parent of two Bay Minette Intermediate School students said in a telephone interview. “I may actually do it (shop during the sales-tax holiday) this time around. With two kids in school, it does help.”

The holiday may benefit more than just Bay Minette consumers. Wal-mart Manager Kenny Kisling said last year’s sales-tax holiday brought a 12-14 percent increase in customer count on Friday and Saturday and a 5 percent increase on Sunday afternoon.

“It’s a pretty good jump for those three days,” he said during a telephone interview. “Certainly it brings the sale of more high-ticket items and it brings in more customers. We sell more computers, electronics and apparel.”

The increased spending may actually have several avenues of benefit. North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Margo Allen said she sees a three-fold, positive outcome.

“From a consumer purchasing perspective, the obvious advantage of a sales-tax-free day is that it reduces the cost of buying school supplies by 10 percent, which means consumers save $1 for every $10 spent on qualifying purchases,” she said in an email. “From a business perspective, consumers who commit to buying school supplies from Bay Minette area businesses generate revenue flow in the local economy.

“From a personal perspective, a lot is asked of small business in Bay Minette,” Allen continued. “Business owners are continually asked to sponsor school, sport and chamber events. Here is an opportunity to support and repay local business owners by spending our money at their establishments.”

 The North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce encourages residents of north Baldwin County to buy all their school supplies in Bay Minette. The emphasis should be to encourage residents to shop locally for their back-to-school needs.”