Business owners 'optimistic' heading into holiday shopping season
Toolbox
By SUSAN ALLEN Staff Writer - Published: November 22, 2009
BARRE – Local businesses across Vermont are hoping for a holly, jolly Christmas, feeling more optimistic this year than last, as they prepare this week for "Black Friday."
"Overall, I really feel pretty optimistic about it," Bob Nelson, owner of Nelson's Ace Hardware in Barre, said of the upcoming season. "I know that times are tough, but I hope the citizens of the state and the citizens of Washington County have seen the worst of it.
"I'm in great hopes of that," he said. "I hope I don't have blinders on."
Ron Marcus, owner of Freeman Marcus Fine Jewelry in Rutland, agreed.
"I'm optimistic that it's going to be better than last year," he said. "That seems to be the sentiment in this area, too. You have a 'recovery,' and I think people will be a little less apprehensive about buying something nice for a loved one."
Tasha Wallis, executive director of the Vermont Retail Association, said those comments reflect the thinking statewide.
"Most retailers are really optimistic and hopeful about Black Friday," she said of the day-after-Thanksgiving launch of the holiday shopping season. "There's so much more hype about it this year over last year. Consumers are so discount-oriented this year, and Black Friday is really a focal point of something like that."
In addition, she said, "a lot of retailers have reduced their inventories to reduce their risks and control their costs, so shopping early is something to think about."
Wallis said the economy essentially took a nose-dive last fall, leading to uncertainty among retailers at the start of last year's holiday season.
"I think they were more concerned (last year). It was more chaotic. People just didn't know what was coming," she said. "Retailers understand now that the American consumers have been very resilient and are willing to get out there."
"People were really jittery last year," said Chris McDonald, manager at Bear Pond Books, noting that business is already picking up at the Main Street, Montpelier, store. "I would say this year, maybe people are a little more confident than last year."
Communities are doing their part to help store owners kick off the holiday shopping season. Montpelier is offering horse-drawn wagon rides from noon to 4 p.m. starting Friday to draw people – and hopefully shoppers – downtown
In Rutland, the downtown holiday festivities get under way on Friday, with Santa's arrival and a tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. The evening also includes caroling, refreshments and more. (Montpelier and Barre's holiday celebrations will be held the weekend of Nov. 28.)
Local businesses are getting into the act. In Montpelier, some are offering 10 percent discounts on all purchases made with last year's Capital City Cash coupons.
Bear Pond Books is hosting a reading at 11 a.m. by storyteller and author Willem Lange of his book "Favor Johnson," a moving Christmas tale; Onion River Sports on Langdon Street is opening early at 8 a.m. and offering cider, doughnuts and special deals; and more.
"People are pretty hopeful because Moonlight Madness was good this year," said Montpelier Alive Executive Director Suzanne Eikenberry, referring to an Oct. 22 downtown sale and family entertainment event that drew shoppers downtown.
"Everyone we talked to was up from last year, which was not a surprise because last year was so dismal," she said. "But they were also up from the year before."
Eikenberry said people in Montpelier support local stores and like the personalized service not found at the big-box stores.
"People really value the experience that they get downtown, and they value shopping local, Eikenberry said. "Most of our vendors are locally owned."
Marcus agreed.
"Black Friday is really a big-box store event, where you're going to get up at 7 a.m. and trample the people in front of you" at those stores, said Marcus. "We tend not to get into that fray. We provide good value, good quality."
Wallis said there are several trends expected this year. She said people will probably be paying with cash and debit cards rather "than pulling out the credit cards this year." In addition, she said one in 10 Americans is considering buying a Christmas gift from a thrift store, and more are using layaway options.
Finally, Wallis said, candy and food gifts are expected to increase this year because they are "more affordable and fun."
"Some people are starting earlier, with the idea that when you have less available disposable cash you do tend to spread it out," she said. "That's why people are thinking Black Friday really will be very strong."
Bob Sager, owner of Bob's Camera and Video in Barre, said business is already up a little bit this year.
"The last few months I've seen encouragement," Sager said. "Within our industry, a lot of us have hit bottom. Now it's just how do we get back on track."
Barre Mayor Thomas Lauzon said he tells people to tackle at least part of their Christmas list at locally owned stores, adding, "I tell people, 'I don't expect you to buy everything local – I'd love it if you did.'"
He, too, feels optimistic about the city's downtown businesses heading into the holiday season. Although there is still great uncertainty, he said, "They've probably gone through the worst of the economic downturn."
"Certainly going into the fourth quarter last year I was more concerned than I am this year," said Nelson. "Partly because I felt like I was ill-prepared last year. There was so much up in the air you felt you didn't know what was going to happen.
"Hopefully we've seen the worst this can throw at us," Nelson said. "If we weathered that, I think going forward we will continue to weather it."
sue.allen@timesargus.com
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