DECEMBER 23, 2015 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2015, 10:07 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Many local shops have been seeing a predictable increase in customers and sales this holiday season.
This increase, according to Walter Boyer, owner of Bookends, is a result of people valuing the convenience of shopping nearby, while also understanding that doing so is good for Ridgewood.
Other merchants credit the unseasonably warm weather with helping to increase sales.
“People want to shop locally,” Boyer said, noting the value shoppers place on customer service. “People are realizing that in order for this town to remain a vibrant town, they need to spend their money locally.”
Dawn Puente, a cosmetics worker at Town & Country Apothecary, echoed this sentiment, explaining that people don’t want to go anywhere near New Jersey’s famous shopping malls close to Christmas.
She also added that Town & Country is a destination for such people, as it gives them some of the benefits of the malls while remaining a local shop.
“People come to the store because the items are unique, and we carry a lot of brands that are only available in department stores,” she said.
Joan Groome, executive director of the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce, said, “People come to Ridgewood because of the real ‘downtown feel.’ You do not find wonderful boutiques like we have in the mall.”
As the holidays approached, many scrambled to purchase gifts before it was too late. Boyer said he anticipated his store being quite busy up until Christmas Eve.
He also expected former residents who are visiting family to shop at Bookends, seeking holiday gifts.
https://www.northjersey.com/news/business/ridgewood-merchants-see-uptick-in-holiday-sales-1.1478813
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