Video: Local Businesses Host Holiday Open Houses

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AMORY, Miss. (WCBI) — North Mississippi businesses look forward to the extra customers each year on Small Business Saturday, and holiday open houses are no different.

Business owners tell WCBI they’re already reeling in new customers from their open houses, and they hope this means an extra busy shopping season this year.

It may still be early November, but apparently it’s not too soon to start Christmas shopping.

“We’ve been wrapping for Christmas since early September,” said Louis Rowles, The Precious Possum.

A recent Gallop poll shows Americans will be spending more money on Christmas gifts this year.

And local business owners say holiday open houses give them a big boost, so they’re happy to offer specials.

“We have 20 percent off all of our Christmas items, and we have little goody packs we’ve made up for people to come in,” Rowles said. “We’re offering door prizes as well, so just a little bit of an incentive for us to give a little something back too.”

“We’ve got a lot of things in,” said Homer Beaty, Fashion Barn. “We’ve got a lot of scarves in this week. We’ve got a lot of jewelry in this week. We’ve got a lot of things in, so anything that someone may be looking at – it could be up from a Misfit pair of jeans, all the way to a formal, or to dresses and suits – we have it.”

Holiday shopping makes a big impact on a store’s yearly bottom line.

Customers are expected to spend $616.9 billion this year across the country.

While local stores stock up for the holidays, these business owners say the open houses bring more people to downtown – some even from outside the area.

“Everybody pitches in,” Beaty said. “Everybody advertises, and when we get people to come downtown, then everyone gets to see what everyone has.”

In three weeks it will be Small Business Saturday – a day designed to encourage spending at local shops.

In 2012, customers spent $5.7 billion nationwide.

Plus it’s nice to spread a little holiday cheer.

“It’s nice for people to come in and see what we have, what we’re offering for Christmas,” Rowles said. “To get early gift ideas, and it’s fun to get ideas to decorate your own home.”

Some of the holiday open houses are going to be going on all weekend long.

If you can’t make it out to one of them, business owners tell WCBI they’ll of course be offering specials on Black Friday, as well.