After the morning snow stopped, shoppers flocked to downtown Centralia for local deals on Saturday.
Shoppers seek deals in downtown Centralia on Saturday. Twenty-eight businesses took part in Small Box Saturday where customers could enter to win a gift certificate bundle.
Shoppers check out holiday decor in Primrose Primitives in downtown Centralia on Saturday.
While some shop owners in downtown Centralia suspected the morning snow on Saturday would deter customers for a few hours, business picked up later for Small Box Saturday.
“It was a very good day. … We had a lot of folks through and it was a great day and I heard from a number of other businesses that it was also very good for them,” Rebecca Staebler, owner of HUBBUB, said.
Twenty-eight stores participated in the second annual Small Box Saturday, where owners hide boxes in their stores that customers find and then sign up to win a gift certificate bundle.
Staebler said she counted about 20-25 slips in her shop’s box. She is collecting the boxes from other businesses and said many shops had about the same amount of entries.
“(Some) people didn’t know about it at all and we just coming in anyway so we got them to participate and then go around to a couple of other stores,” Staebler said.
Along with Small Box Saturday, many downtown businesses had sales going. HUBBUB had 20 percent off shoes and cozy socks, and $5 gift cards for customers who spent $50 or more.
Prim Rose Primitives had no lack of holiday decor, from candles to snowmen, for shoppers seeking deals.
Linda Dotson and Veronica Wike shopped at Prim Rose Primitives on Saturday with Wike’s son, Tanner, who will be celebrating his first Christmas. They said they always try to shop locally during the holidays.
While Heymann Whinery Etc. was having a slow morning Saturday, Flossie Heymann said Friday was a fairly busy day for the store. She and her husband, Bob Heymann, also participated in downtown’s “Name that Tune” window display contest and “Late ’Til 8” holiday shopping on Thursdays.
“We appreciate the community support and we’re here to help with their shopping,” Flossie Heymann said.
Shoppers at The Shady Lady, an upscale resale clothing and home decor store, saved 10 to 25 percent off throughout the store.
Pam Griese, of Dryad, stopped into the store on Saturday and said she wasn’t looking for anything in particular.
“I’m just checking out the good deals,” she said.
Griese found a like-new leather belt and was hoping to score some more deals as she looked through the clothing racks.
The Shady Lady owner Holly Phelps said the store will continue buying through the holidays, so new items will always be in the shop.
Phelps said she tries to keep shoppers and dollars downtown by referring her customers to neighboring stores like The Bath Depot Inc., which sells bath and body items from local and regional companies as well as others.
“I try to find things you can’t find everywhere,” The Bath Depot Inc. owner Sandra Walczyk said.
She participated in Small Box Saturday and had specials on items throughout the store.
The drawing for the winners of Small Box Saturday will likely be held later this week.
Unlike shopping online for Cyber Monday, Staebler said, businesses downtown have “real live people” helping customers find and wrap gifts.
“We are certainly intent on being here for customers and for downtown Centralia for the whole season and … I’m seeing a lot people who are really responding to that and making a point to shop local,” Staebler said.
