For some local merchants, holiday season is a success
Nationally, retailers are placing more emphasis on discounts
By Brielle Kennington
Argus Observer
Friday, December 28, 2007 11:32 AM PST
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| Boots line the shelves at Quisenberry’s in Ontario. Store manager Grant Grigg said business in his shop, situated in downtown Ontario, has been good this Christmas season. |
Ontario — While retail sales may be down nationally compared with last year, the Christmas shopping season turned out to be beneficial for several Ontario merchants.
Meanwhile, across the nation, retailers are putting an extra emphasis on after-Christmas discounts, hoping bargain shoppers and gift-card splurgers can enrich stores’ holidays.
Target Corp., the nation’s No. 2 retailer, warned late Monday that its same-store sales might decline for December, while a broad gauge of consumer spending released by Mastercard Inc., which includes estimates for spending by check and cash, showed a modest 2.4 percent increase for the holiday season.
Locally, the Christmas shopping season proved to be a good one.
“It’s been a good season. Compared to last year we are steady,” Mike Widmer, the owner of The Competition in downtown Ontario said.
Widmer, and his wife, Theresa, took over The Competition when the former owners of the business, Del and Mavis White, sold the shop two years ago. Theresa Widmer is Del and Mavis White’s daughter and Del White still works Ontario shop.
Mike Widmer said The Competition expects to do well in the next six months as well.
“It’s going to be great,” Mike Widmer said.
The Competition offers a big variety of large home appliances and TVs.
“We belong to the largest appliance buying group in the U.S.,” Del White said.
The blue, 100-year-old building situated on South Oregon and Second has become a recognizable part of the Ontario community.
“We sell to contractors and also walk-ins from the community,” Mike Widmer said.
Kinney Bros & Keele Hardware Co., situated on Fourth and Fourth, has had similar success this holiday season.
“We’ve had a pretty good year, and we’ve experienced growth in our hardware store by about 3 percent,” John Kirby, co-owner of Kinney Bros & Keele Hardware Co., since 1970 said.
Kirby said he started working at Kinney Bros & Keele Hardware Co., at age 16.
“The gift section did very well, especially collectable glass,” Kirby said.
The Outdoorsman, situated on Northeast Second Street and East Idaho, has been a part of the community for more than 50 years. Its products range from gifts, cutlery, guns, archery, fishing and camping all in a “rustic life is good” theme.
“Our numbers haven’t dropped below average, we are actually ahead,” Julie Clark, general manager at The Outdoorsman, said.
“Christmas and hunting season are our busy seasons,” she said.
In the next six months Clark said they are hoping to further improve their numbers.
“We are getting new lines all the time, and we hope everybody shops with us. We are local and we specialize in helping customers. We want to stay in the community for 50 more years,” Clark said.
Even the local high-end men’s clothing store, Quisenberry’s, situated on South Oregon Street in Ontario, experienced good numbers this holiday season.
“It’s been great. Business has been good. If you work at the business you do well, and the customers appreciate it,” Grant Grigg, general manager of Quisenberry’s said. Grigg said he recently celebrated his 30th Christmas with the store.
“Our numbers are pretty close to last year’s numbers, and last year was an exceptionally good year,” he said. Grigg said he is also anticipating an increase in sales in the next six months.
“We are grateful for the customers we have,” Grigg said.
The Associated press also contributed to this report.
