Retailers Report Busy Weekend
Despite a year marked by economic uncertainty, Rockbridge area shoppers turned out in force over the Thanksgiving weekend, delivering a strong start to the holiday season for many local stores.
Independent retailers across Buena Vista and Lexington reported steady or significantly increased traffic during Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, with several business owners saying the support exceeded what they expected heading into the weekend.
“It went way better than I expected,” said Jen Carpenter, director of Main Street Buena Vista. “I was happily surprised by every report I heard.” Small Business Saturday, also known as Shop Small Saturday, brought a strong showing in Buena Vista, where Carpenter said turnout surpassed expectations. Main Street BV used the weekend to launch a new holiday window contest, which featured designs from eight downtown businesses.
“It really encouraged people to walk downtown and check out all the displays,” Carpenter said. “I was super impressed — eight businesses signing up is awesome for Buena Vista.”
Carpenter, who also works with Leaf & Lore, said the combination bookstore and plant studio was full throughout her shift.
“We had a slow opening, but by noon the store was packed,” said manager Brooke Dalton. The shop’s sales were around 300 percent above an average day, and higher than a typical weekend day.
Other Buena Vista businesses reported a similar uptick.
At Coiner Country Store, manager Rose Smith said the shop saw “a bump in business” thanks to the day’s events, aided by promotions like free cookies for purchases over $10 and discounted boba drinks.
“It was a nice shopping day with good business,” Smith said. She invited area residents to “Take your time browsing the shelves — you just might find something you can’t live without!”
At Asunder Coffee Roasters, manager Stephanie McCoy said the café also experienced higher-than-usual traffic.
“We definitely saw a bump,” she said. “We offered 5% off all drinks, and it turned into a busier-than-usual Saturday for us.”
In Lexington, Main Street Lexington Executive Director Jeremy Franklin said the nonprofit is still gathering detailed participation data, as the organization is currently between two of its largest events of the year — the candlelight processional and the Christmas parade. But early feedback from businesses has been positive.
Franklin highlighted the city’s Shop Small Sweepstakes, which launched Nov. 1 and this year includes a record 32 participating businesses. Shoppers earn a sticker for each $10 purchase and can enter a drawing for a downtown shopping spree once they meet certain thresholds.
“We had to reorder Sweepstakes cards after the initial allotment ran out,” Franklin noted. “A lot of businesses have told us they’re seeing stronger participation than they expected.”
He described the overall retail outlook as “cautiously optimistic,” acknowledging that nationwide trends show retail activity down from last year. “We’re fighting an uphill battle,” he said. “But with our supportive community and strong downtown businesses, we’re doing as much as we can to help them have a good holiday season.”
At Herman’s Produce, Richard Carter said the weekend brought a reliably strong turnout for the store’s Christmas tree season.
“We had a great weekend,” he said. “The community support went very, very, very well.”
Herman’s did not run holiday promotions but still saw business nearly identical to this time last year.
“It was almost the same as last year,” Carter said. “We live in a good community, and I’m very appreciative of it.”
At Walkabout Outfitters, assistant store manager Jason Vess said the business enjoyed a steady stream of shoppers throughout the day.
“Everything went well — lots of customer traffic,” he said. “One after another, basically.”
Walkabout ran a 35% off sale upstairs and a half-off sale downstairs, which contributed to the crowds. Vess estimated the day was “a little bit busier than last year, but relatively close,” and said one in every six or seven customers participated in the Shop Small Sweepstakes.
Though many shop owners entered the weekend with tempered expectations, the shopping crowds suggest area residents continue to prioritize supporting local businesses even when family budgets are stretched. Retailers agreed that the loyalty of the community means a lot.
“I was really touched that so many people came out and wanted to support local,” Carpenter said.
