The Bold Italic loves local merchants and we know you do too. To prove our point, we're launching a contest next week where your favorite local business can win $3,000 and you can win that iPad you’ve been drooling over. For most local independent businesses, $3,000 would make a huge difference – it could help them create a new product, make a long overdue upgrade, or even pay the rent.

To enter, all you have to do is add your favorite local merchant to your Clipbook (here’s how) between May 26 and June 9. The business with the highest number of adds by the end of the day on June 9th will get a gift from The Bold Italic in the form a $2,500 American Express gift card and $500 credit to promote their business on our site. And of course, you'll get your iPad.

UPDATE: We have extended the dates of this contest through the end of this week. You now have until midnight June 11 to enter!

You just have to be able to pick it up in person at the winning merchant’s address to be eligible to enter.  It’s pretty simple – add your favorite local merchant to your Clipbook and be entered to win an iPad. We thought it sounded pretty good too. 

To find your favorite local merchant on our site, use the search field in the bottom right corner of the home page or browse around our stories. Not there? Email chris@thebolditalic.com and we'll create a page for them on the site. If you are a San Francisco merchant, please get in touch! We can create a profile page for your business (if you don't already have one), provide contest language for your email, Twitter, or Facebook updates, and give you other tips to help activate your customers in the hopes of winning the merchant prize.