As shoppers all across the country are expected to tighten their belts for this holiday season, many businesses in Kent’s downtown are nervous as to what this upcoming season will mean to their bottom line.
“I don’t expect as good a year” as last year, said Carol Schwindt, owner of American Charm.
Though business is down at her Meeker Street shop, Schwindt said she believes her loyal customer base will be back to do some holiday shopping.
“I think we’ll be OK for Christmas, but I don’t think it makes up for what’s been going on in the past,” she said.
Up the street at Rainy Day Treasures and Gifts, co-owner Earline Duhon said she too has noticed that customers are not spending as much this year.
“Up until the downturn, it was wonderful,” Duhon said. “Then the bottom fell out.”
Both owners said they were trying to help their balance sheets by ordering less from suppliers and more carefully stocking their stores, but like many others in the area, they are hoping for better days ahead.
“If we don’t see a turnaround,” Duhon said, “why keep the doors open?”
It has been a difficult few years for merchants downtown and many of the shop owners said the listless economy has further slowed spending in downtown Kent.
“Right after Cornucopia (Days) we could see a difference,” Duhon said.
Duhon said she and her partner and other merchants figured people were saving for back-to-school sales or some other reason, but since September, business is down.
Several business owners echoed Duhon’s sentiment.
“Had anyone asked me in September I could have told them what a mess it would be,” said Judi Stringfellow at English Cottage Collection, noting that her totals were “considerably down” from prior years. “Everybody’s worried.”
“The year has been wonderful. However, in October it stopped,” said Eric Sach owner of The Balanced Athlete. “Absolutely stopped.”
Sach said his store was in a “large pinch” this season.
“People just aren’t spending,” he said. “I have plenty of inventory: I just don’t have any shoppers.”
But Kent Downtown Partnership Executive Director Jacquie Alexander said the economic turn could spell opportunity for downtown, as people are looking to get more for their money.
“It’s a better time to be shopping at stores that aren’t chain stores, that have unique items that are treasures,” Alexander said.
Earthworks Gem Design Studio owner Steve Saint Louis agreed.
“I really believe when dollars are scarce, they are going to want to spend their dollars in a way with maximum impact,” he said, adding that while foot traffic especially is down so far, the huge drop-off he expected has not come, which he chalks up to the specialty and niche nature of his products.
To help combat smaller spending limits, Greg Simmons of Browser’s Books said he was relying on his regulars and making sure to keep his shelf stocked with cheaper items, such as figurines instead of original art prints.
“We’re resigned to the fact that people aren’t spending as much,” he said, noting that so far this season sales are down 20 percent from last year.
Alexander admits it has been “tough” for downtown merchants this year, and said the importance of the Christmas season is not overstated.
“It’s the biggest days of their year,” she said.
Despite the economic slowdown, Alexander also said she remains confident about downtown’s future and said the Downtown Partnership was working to bring more shoppers into the area this year, emphasizing the memories and “sense of community” that can be shared.
“Just being able to walk around and go in and out of the stores and have a meal at one of the restaurants; that’s probably the main thing,” Alexander said.
Alexander said one of the biggest problems is that shoppers “lose sight of” the downtown and tend to go to malls to do their shopping.
Schwindt agreed.
“There are still a lot of people in Kent who don’t know about downtown,” she said.
To battle that, Schwindt, Alexander and Duhon all said they were changing their advertising strategies to attract more customers.
“We’re not crying, we just have to have a better model of getting people into the store,” Duhon said. “We just have to be smarter business people if we want to stay in business.”
Alexander is also encouraging people to shop locally this season.
“Keep it in town,” she said. “And they’ll be surprised to get wonderful gift items.”
“The best thing the community can do is shop locally,” Sach agreed. “It’s those tax dollars that operate our city.”
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