With the holiday season fast approaching, small retailers in Centre County are ramping up for the next two months.
In a world of Amazon.com and other online shopping, they are finding it harder and harder to compete. However, many local small retailers are hoping this will be the most wonderful time of the year.
Lee Anne Jeffries, executive director of the Downtown State College Improvement District, recently talked about why retailers in downtown State College are faring well when it comes to bringing customers through their doors.
“One of the reasons that we have so many small businesses that have kind of held on throughout the years is because they’re setting themselves apart. I think that’s the biggest thing in terms of competing with online retailers. … You’ve got to create an experience,” Jeffries says. “When someone shops online, that’s not an experience. It might be convenient and easy, but you’re not getting that human interaction, you’re not getting that customer service that you’re going to get from walking into a local store. That’s the biggest thing.”
Getting the customer inside the store, of course, is just part of the equation. According to Jeffries, store owners then have to go above and beyond to make sure the customer stays—and spends.
“I think the businesses downtown that I see truly succeeding are doing things really well,” she says. “I think there are some great role models out there in terms of that business model. It’s about creating an experience, creating that customer service, and taking it to the next level.”
Jeffries said that one of the advantages that local stores have is the fact that shoppers can see and touch the items they’re purchasing.
“I think it’s important generationally. Some of us have been to big department stores, we’ve had that experience growing up, so we still value that,” she says. “But I think the mom and pop shops will always be there in the future; it’s just going to look a little bit different.”
Small Business Saturday is set for November 26 nationwide. Although Penn State plays a home game against Michigan State that day, Jeffries says that downtown State College will still be offering special deals and promotions.
“A lot of businesses will be getting behind it and have some type of special or promotion for that day,” Jeffries says.However, she stressed that shoppers need to support small businesses every day of the year.
“Our job is to promote the downtown small businesses and to get people to understand that if they’re not frequenting these businesses, then they may not be there tomorrow,” she says.
Penn State shoppers
The nice thing about downtown State College, Jeffries says, is that there is a captive audience nearby.
“We always felt like we had a thriving economy. Obviously, Penn State University across the street is most of the reason for that,” Jeffries says. “We’ve got a new audience every year with students, parents, and those visiting for football and other festivals throughout the year. So, we are very fortunate.”
One of the success stories in downtown State College is Appalachian Outdoors, 131 South Allen Street. Owner Geoff Brugler says that his store tends to treat Small Business Saturday just like any other day.
“We don’t feel like we’re necessarily in a promotional mode,” Brugler says. “It’s more about having the product on hand, having the staff trained in the product and in the service.”
Brugler says his store is geared up and ready for not only the Christmas shopping season, but the winter weather as well.
“We’re very weather-related,” Brugler explains. “The worse the weather, the busier we are. We have gone after inventory wherever we can. We’re probably a little overstocked, but we’re OK with that because we want to be able to do the business. If we have a pretty decent winter, we’ll be in pretty good shape come March.”
Just outside of State College Borough is Christine’s Hallmark at 1637 North Atherton Street. Owner Christine Willnecker looks forward to Small Business Saturday each and every year. She views it as a chance to give back.
“For Small Business Saturday, we do a Gift of Giving event. We sell a special pewter Gift of Giving ornament that weekend and donate a portion of our sales to the State College Area Food Bank for the holidays,” Willnecker says. “Our guest then receives 20 percent off their entire purchase for taking part in our event. I love to give back to the local community.”
In a day and age when many people don’t send greeting cards, Christine’s Hallmark has adjusted to the changing landscape. Willnecker’s inventory includes a plethora of items for every Christmas shopping list.
“We sell so many things. … We carry fashion, fashion accessories, Vera Bradley, Willow Tree Angels, gourmet food items, and of course greeting cards. I really try to be a one-stop shop. I myself like to have anything I need accessible in one location, so I truly strive for that experience,” Willnecker says.
A holiday for shopping
Bellefonte is gearing up for Small Business Saturday as well. Jennilyn Schuster, main street manager for Downtown Bellefonte, Inc., is anticipating a busy day in the borough.
“Small Business Saturday is a holiday, and people want to get out and shop,” she explains.
According to Schuster, downtown Bellefonte was able to weather the COVID-19 pandemic. While many small-town businesses across the country had to close up shop, most Bellefonte small businesses remained open.
“During the pandemic, we had to come up with other ways of thinking. The college kind of got shut down. Penn State football got shut down. I think we targeted other avenues other than just people coming in for the football games,” Schuster says.
For Small Business Saturday, Bellefonte has a variety of special events planned.
“Bellefonte hosts a ‘Shop Small Crawl.’ There will be ‘Shop Small’ bags. Each year, Downtown Bellefonte, Inc., designs new bags. We will also have new buttons that will be produced by a local artisan. Those can be collected. Typically, we have anywhere from twenty-five to thirty businesses participate,” Schuster says. “Shoppers can collect the pins, visit new businesses, meet and connect with business owners.”
Once the pins are collected throughout the holiday shopping season, shoppers can enter to win Downtown Bellefonte gift cards, which can be used at forty participating businesses.
One unique place to shop, the Bellefonte Art Museum, 133 North Allegheny Street, is gearing up for the holiday shopping season. The Twiga Store at the museum sells works of art, jewelry, crafts, fabric artwork, books authored by local writers, poems, and more.
For Small Business Saturday, the museum will have plenty of specials.
“We curate a special holiday show and sale, featuring arts and crafts especially appropriate for gift giving and art created for the season,” says Patricia House, executive director of the museum.
According to House, the success of the museum—and its shop—is not a surprise.
“(It’s) an idea whose time has come,” House says, “coupled with hard work and many decades of experience in art and museum work.”
Just down the street in Bellefonte is Belle Mercantile, at 135 South Spring Street. Belle Mercantile is unique because the small business actually houses many other small businesses.
“I think the nature of the store helps lend to its success. There are over sixty small businesses within our small business,” says Belle Mercantile owner Andrea Skirpan. “And our customers can see that we are a small business with a mission to help other small businesses.” T&G
Chris Morelli is a resident of Pleasant Gap and the news editor of The Express in Lock Haven.
