CALDWELL, Idaho — Indian Creek Plaza’s holiday transformation may still be underway, but for this Caldwell business, preparing for the holidays started before one leaf began to fall.
Shared Stories, a bookstore that opened at the plaza in 2024, is already stocking its shelves and bringing in additional inventory, anticipating its busiest season of the year. Manager and book-buyer George Decker said they learned from experience, after not meeting demand in previous years.
He said the preparation actually begins as early as July and August.
“You need to start purchasing, looking forward to Christmas in July and August,” Decker said.
Decker said the store makes its purchases months in advance and inventory begins arriving in late October.
Eighteen boxes of books arrived in one recent shipment as employees sat at checkout, discussing community event ideas and inventory.
But deciding what to order months in advance takes some time.
Decker said he meets with publishers who help to predict trending authors and genres. Decker and his employees will also read advance copies to take a bet on what will sell four months in the future.
That preparation becomes especially important once Indian Creek Plaza’s Winter Wonderland festivities begin.
According to Decker, Shared Stories can see between $135,000 and $145,000 in gross sales during the busy winter period.
Those holiday dollars are particularly important once the crowds leave.
“The winter sales, from November 1st into the first two weeks of January, really boost our numbers to make it through the spring,” Decker said, adding that February is typically the store’s slowest month.
For Decker, the holiday season is also evidence that downtown Caldwell is drawing visitors from well outside the Treasure Valley.
“Within the last two years we have seen so many people from different parts of the whole entire country come in,” Decker said.
So while the boxes, equipment and unfinished displays around Indian Creek Plaza may not look magical just yet, it's a sign to surrounding businesses to kick into high gear.
Indian Creek Plaza is set to light up, and its ice rink will welcome skaters on Nov. 20th.
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