Downtown businesses report strong foot traffic, sales
Following a combination Brunch and Browse and Christmas Open House hosted by the Greater Starkville Development Partnership Sunday, several downtown Starkville businesses reported above-average foot traffic and sales.
The event was hosted by the Greater Starkville Development Partnership and, included 31 local businesses mainly centered around downtown, although businesses from across Starkville participated. The businesses were slated to stay open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., but many kept their doors open longer due to heavy foot traffic. The event was held in conjunction with the Mississippi State University
Rebecca Tabb, owner of R. Tabb and Company Boutique and Gifts said weekends with evening games were often good for business.
“We tied in our normal Brunch and Browse which was 11 p.m. to 3 p.m., on home game weekend Sundays, and we did Christmas Open House, especially emphasizing that Alabama would be here,” Tabb said. “It’s a late game, a lot of people will stay through the weekend and shop on Sundays, it was amazing, probably one of the best Christmas Open Houses that I’ve had here. We stayed full. We were only going to be open until 3 p.m., but we stayed open until 4 p.m., and probably could have stayed open later had I not had prior obligations.”
Tabb said the entire weekend was one of the best she had this year after crunching her numbers.
Reed’s manager Bo Summerford also said the late game had increased his sales.
“It started off kind of slow, but as the day progressed people just kept coming in,” Summerford said. “We were going to close at 3 p.m. with most of the other Brunch and Browse participants, but business was so good for us that we decided to stay open for a little bit longer.”
Summerford said Reeds had not yet crunched its numbers, but was expecting them to be high.
“Foot traffic was definitely up for the weekend,” Summerford said.
At 929 Coffee Bar manager Jonette Shurden also said the business had not crunched its numbers. However, she reported considerable foot traffic during the event.
“We had a line to the door probably 90 percent of the day yesterday, which was pretty spectacular and good for business,” Shurden said Monday. “I think it was successful.”
Aspen Bay Candles also kept its doors open past 3 p.m. to accommodate the crowds.
“It was very successful,” said Aspen Bay sales associate Anna Wright. “We were really busy all day from the time we opened to the time we closed.”
Wright said candles and Christmas decorations were the top selling items through the weekend.
More than 61,000 fans attended Saturday’s game.