TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Holiday shopping accounts for 70 percent of retail sales for stores large and small. Local business owners in Downtown Twin Falls are getting set for Small Business Saturday, and ready to welcome the busiest sales season
- Brass Monkeyowner Kindsey Taylor has a tradition of decorating her windows into elaborate displays, a throwback to classic stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. She'll have sales through the weekend but is keeping her lips sealed until closer to Saturday.
- Bull Moose Bicyclesis having sales as well. Winter is traditionally a slower time for bike shops, and Chris and Nate are hoping that a strong December will cover the lull of January and February.
- Several other small businesses have sales planned in Downtown Twin,and are already prepped and decorated for Small Business Saturday.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
How big of a deal is the holiday shopping season for local businesses?
Kindsey: "It's a huge deal. Holiday season for a lot of businesses especially small businesses is probably 70% off your business for the year,"
Kindsey Taylor has owned Brass Monkey on Main Avenue in downtown Twin Falls for ten years. She's seen the revitalization take place as stores and restaurants have grown around her.
Brass Monkey's elaborate window displays will be revealed on Friday, a tradition Kindsey has become known for during the holidays.
After a few rocky years... of pandemic restrictions and enticing shoppers through inflation... Kindsey worries small downtown businesses like hers are in a precarious position
Kindsey: "We're kinda teetering on downtown going backwards again. And so we're definitely hoping to see more revitalization downtown, it definitely has a long way to go. We definitely want to see more retail down here, more restaurants and things like that."
Down the block, I chatted with Nate Rioux... co-owner of Bull Moose Bike Shop.
Nate: 'This time of year, it's tough for a bike shop so we really rely on Christmas sales and things like that to keep us going."
Nate: "We're constantly evolving. I think you have to as a small business owner. You have to morph and change to fit the needs of the community, and that's what we've done, and it seems to work."
Like Brass Monkey, Bull Moose has a number of sales planned for the weekend and into the holidays.. hoping that will be enough to coast on through the slow months of January and February.
Nate: "The ease of shopping online is hard to compete with sometimes, and coming down and visiting us, It really means a lot."
Plus.. local shops are owned by your neighbors...
You can't say that for the big box stores.
Sot Kindsey: "We always joke that we're a man's best friend at holiday time, we already know what your wife or girlfriend likes, what sizes she wears, common, we'll pick it out for you, we'll personal shop, wrap it up, off you go and you'll be a hit for the holiday season."
