Businesses young and old wrapped up a solid holiday shopping season Friday, according to owners who said the brisk sales were a nice change from last year's covid-infused downturn.
"It's been good," said Linda Rauls, owner of Captured Moments gift shop located in Oak Park Village shopping center. "Better than last year. We were surprised."
Rauls, who has owned a store at the same location for three-plus decades, said she had been fortunate in that she has not had the same supply chain problems that have plagued some businesses.
"We went to the Vegas market early enough and didn't wait until the last minute so we have not had any problems," she said. "I go to Vegas in February and August and, overall, I go to market about six times a year."
Shoppers roamed Rauls' store as they looked for last-minute Christmas gifts.
One of those shoppers, Trena Ford, pulled out the sleeve of a sweater in hopes of finding something for her mother. Asked why she had waited until the day before Christmas to buy gifts, Ford said she had been sick.
"I wasn't feeling well, and I thought I might have covid," she said. "But I got tested and thank God, it was negative. I went to Little Rock and shopped, but it was so cold that day, I just couldn't do it. So that's why I'm out today."
Across town, in the Jefferson Square shopping center, David Maddox, who has owned Fathers and Sons Clothier for almost a quarter century, said he has had a bang-up Christmas season.
As he started to speak, his phone rang and then rang again as customer after customer called to ask about an order or whether he had an item in stock.
"I'm sorry," he said of the interruptions. "It's been like that a lot. This season has been really, really, man, I'm just speechless. It's been really, really good."
Sales have been up, he said, whether that's from walk-in business or orders that he's shipped. The end result is a season that has been quite a bit better than last year.
"This Christmas season has definitely been a success for us," he said.
As for getting products into his store to sell, that has been a headache, Maddox said.
"Yes, definitely, we have had supply chain problems," he said. "It has really been hard getting merchandise. I ordered some shoes at the beginning of September that were supposed to be here by mid-November, and they still haven't come in. But I thank God that the customers have been understanding."
The cheery news from Rauls and Maddox was consistent with estimates that this Christmas season will be a banner year for retail sales across the country. The National Retail Federation, in a statement made at the end of October, said retail sales could set records this year and top last year by as much as 10%. The federation, which is a retail trade association, said the reason for the optimism was because family incomes are climbing and spending has been up throughout 2021.
"Consumers are in a very favorable position going into the last few months of the year as income is rising and household balance sheets have never been stronger," federation President and CEO Matthew Shay said in a blog post on the group's website. "Retailers are making significant investments in their supply chains and spending heavily to ensure they have products on their shelves to meet this time of exceptional consumer demand."
The uptick in local sales also included Joey Coleman's White Hall Fresh Market butcher shop, which had stand-in-line busy Friday with customers picking up food for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day parties and get-togethers.
"It's been great," said Coleman, whose business just turned 2 at the beginning of December.
"The big sellers have been filets and ribeyes," he said, quickly adding that the seafood boils are popular, as well.
Coleman lifted the lid on three large aluminum trays, filled with crab legs, shrimp, corn on the cob and other veggies, waiting for customers to pick them up.
"If someone has a party at 5, they'll come by at 4:45, and these will be hot and ready to serve," he said. "Or we can make them up to be served later. Either way, here's your Christmas party."
A woman came in looking for one of the hot lunches the market serves each day of the week.
"What do you have today?" she asked. "I'm hungry."
Coleman had to break it to her that the lunches weren't available on this particular Friday because of the many seafood boils the market had prepared.
Undeterred, she went to the counter to look for other ready-to-eat items.
"I'll find something," she said.
Joey Coleman, owner of White Hall Fresh Market butcher shop, said business has been brisk this holiday season. (Pine Bluff Commercial/Byron Tate)