Yellowknife (Nov 03/06) - One advantage of being in business with eight other artists is that the ideas are always creative.

"We were having a board meeting when Alex (Beaudin) just came up with the idea of having our own money for people to use to buy a glassware piece," said Matthew Grogono, a member of the Yellowknife Glass Recyclers, a co-operative making Northern-designed glassware.

Matthew Grogono holds up a "Grogo-buck" at his home on Wednesday. The money is an idea that a fellow partner at the Yellowknife Glass Recyclers came up with as a promotional idea. The idea is to come in and purchase recycled glassware and use the five-dollar Grogo-buck for the purchase. - Peter Crnogorac/NNSL photo

The idea soon caught on with the others in the co-op, and before Grogono realized what exactly was happening, his image was smiling back at him on the in-store tender.

"It's novel. It's creative. And it's kind of funny," said Grogono. "I find it hysterical to see myself on a five dollar bill."

The bill is made on computer paper and printed at Grogono's MacDonald Drive home, where the Old Town-based shop is also located.

"I came up with the front design," said Beaudin. "Max Deschesnes designed the back."

On the reverse, there are a few pieces of glassware pictured against a winter scene back drop.

When the first bills were printed, Grogono and Beaudin brought them to the Chamber of Commerce's 60th anniversary gala last Friday.

"We decided to use the Chamber gala to test the bills," Grogono said.

The co-op group was invited because they had just joined the Chamber.

"We got a lot of positive feedback," added Beaudin.

If you are wondering where are these bills, and why don't you have one, don't feel left out.

There were only a few printed, and all have thus far gone to prominent people in the community, for now.

"The three diamond mine presidents each were presented with one of our designer bowls and a five dollar bill," Grogono said. "The first person to get one was Premier Joe Handley, who used it when he was here last Saturday."

Though the bills are scarce, Beaudin said the company may soon offer similar coupon-type bills printed as an advertisement in Yellowknifer, but there would be one stipulation.

"Right now you can save up the bills, but if it goes in the paper, then it'll be one per customer," he said.