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December 20, 2009

Downtown Goshen businesses doing well

By Jesse Davis

Shoppers downtown were scarce and open businesses few, but owners of those shops that were open Saturday were pleased with their business this holiday season.

“I’m just happy with our holiday traffic,” Scott Woldruff, owner of Woldruff’s Footwear and Apparel, said. “People seem to be upbeat, happy about shopping.”

He said his store sees an increase in business from holiday shoppers starting around the end of October each year, but said traffic is better than last year.

“It’s growing and growing, I’m just pleased,” Woldruff said. “I think people, consumers, are more positive right now, and I think the other thing is the longer we’ve been in business the more we’ve evolved ourselves toward gift-giving.”

Woldruff has been working on expanding the offerings of the store and has brought in several lines of goods that lend themselves to holiday shopping. Among the most popular, he said, are Vera Bradley products, Brighton jewelry, Smartwool socks and clothing and Ugg boots, as well as the new “Bogs,” stylish waterproof boots.

“The exciting thing when you’re in business for yourself is that the decisions you make are your own, so we’re just constantly trying to improve things for the consumer,” Woldruff said.

Although a coffee shop may not seem like a hot holiday spot, try telling that to the customers of The Electric Brew. With their extensive list of chocolate, bulk coffee, cards, music and other impulse items, it’s a popular home for stocking stuffers.

“We’ve been doing very good. Business has been very brisk,” owner Myron Bontrager said. “Last December it felt like people were scared, really hanging back. This year, people aren’t spending a lot of money, but they’re getting back to normal.”

Bontrager said bulk coffee sales in particular jump during the holiday season, so much so that it’s hard to keep it on the shelves.

A big part of why the holidays are so good for the Brew, he said, is that he feels there is a real loyalty to downtown, especially to family-owned businesses. That’s not, however, the only reason.

“It’s always fun, I love it. We don’t get the harried shoppers. You may see a group of people and you can tell one of them is from out of town, maybe visiting their family. They’ll sit for two or three hours just drinking coffee and enjoying themselves,” Bontrager said, noting that, “We probably get the good side of the holiday shoppers vs. the box stores where you’re fighting to get the popular items.”

Just down the street, Ten Thousand Villages was mildly bustling, with a few individuals and small families perusing handmade Nativities, trinkets and small carvings, among a myriad of other wares.

“We’ve been super busy today, but we expected that,” store manager Elizabeth Dragoo said. “We had a really good October and November, and December has been good as well.”

She expects the business to maintain the high pace at least through Christmas.

Ten Thousand Villages sells crafts made by people in villages throughout the world. The store chain is operated by the Mennonite Central Committee.

With the wide variety of items offered for sale, she said no one thing tends to be the most popular.

“It’s a mix, people always like to buy jewelry as gifts, and a lot of Nativities and ornaments have gone out today,” Dragoo said.

She does have a favorite part of the season, however.

“I get to see a lot of people,” Dragoo said. “If people only come once a year, they come at Christmastime.”

She also loves to see customers’ happy faces.

“People are typically not grouchy when they’re Christmas shopping,” Dragoo said.

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