Plumsted and Allentown businesses profit from holiday shoppers (Dec. 29)
By: Marisa Maldonado
After business at the Main Street Dollar Store in Plumsted languished since its April opening, store officials began stocking its store with holiday cards and decorations this month. The result business at the store skyrocketed. Clerk Dick Tumas said about half of the store’s shoppers were new customers.
"I think a lot of people knew about (the store)," Mr. Tumas said. "They just didn’t bother coming in."
The same story repeated itself at other stores in Allentown and Plumsted over the last month, as many downtown merchants there found holiday goods, particularly handmade items, to be very popular.
Many business owners said the holiday season already one of the most profitable for local merchants was up from previous years. That’s good news for many smaller, local businesses that are finding it increasingly difficult to compete with the growing number of big-box department stores in the region.
Business was especially hectic at Gifted in Allentown, a store on Church Street, during the week before Christmas, co-owner Rose Lucia said.
"People who maybe got stuck for a unique gift started trying the smaller shops to see what was really different," Ms. Lucia said.
Handmade crafts contributed to the success of many Allentown stores. Karen Deets, owner of Off the Wall Craft Gallery on Main Street in Allentown, said she had to make several new batches of her handmade stained glass to accommodate demand.
"That’s what I want people to come to Allentown for, all this wonderful unique stuff," said Ms. Deets, who also serves as president of the Allentown Business Community Association. "If we can be known as a group of galleries and craft businesses, then we are totally unique from other small-town communities."
Craft artisans also do well on Plumsted’s Main Street. Stores that carried handmade items such as gift baskets were left with almost no leftovers after the holiday season, Main Street USA Director Sharon Gano said. The Broken Porch, a gift shop on Main Street, produced baskets with items such as candles, Christmas ornaments and cheeses.
"(The owner) could not keep them in her store," Ms. Gano said. "People would come in and order them in advance."
Customized gift baskets also fueled business at Down Home Country, a gift store on Church Street in Allentown. Owner Irene Lynch said her holiday business went up 15 percent this year by selling items such as holiday wreaths and decorated snowshoes.
An influx of residents in the surrounding communities has fueled business since Ms. Lynch opened Down Home Country seven years ago.
"It will be good for future business," she said. "I know the growth has been good for us."
But not all businesses fared as well this season, Ms. Gano said. The businesses that struggled the most were newer stores without the publicity as more established businesses, she said.
To increase traffic at all Main Street businesses, the Main Street USA organization held a holiday concert on Dec. 21 featuring children’s guitarist "Guitar Bob" Massano.
But the concert, designed to give parents a chance to shop Main Street while leaving their children supervised, didn’t result in an influx of shoppers. Most of the parents decided to enjoy the concert with their children instead of shopping, Ms. Gano said.
"Next year we’ll have more time to plan, and people will be more aware of it too," Ms. Gano said. "We’ll probably do it on a weekend. And that will allow people to (shop) before and afterward."

