Etc. Boutique wins display award

Etc. Boutique & Gifts, 215 Park Ave. in Amherst, has won a national Holiday Window Display Giveaway, put on by Women’s Wear in Nevada, for its buffalo plaidinspired window display.

A $200 voucher off any vendor purchase officially will be awarded to the business in February during WWIN’s Wholesale Women’s Apparel show in February, according to business owner Erin Link.

WWIN marketing coordinator Hannah Reagan said Etc. Boutique’s window was chosen by the organization’s show team panel because of its unique display.

“Her window just really stood out for its colors and street appeal,” Reagan said. “(Link) also submitted more than one image, which we appreciated.”

Link said she heard of the competition while she was signing up for the show and figured to give it a shot.

“I was thinking, ‘This show brings 5,000 people. It’s a huge show and it probably has 2,000 vendors,’” she said. “I thought, ‘I’m never gonna win.’”

Link said she plans on pitching the voucher into the business’s upcoming purchases of Christmas apparel for the end of the year.

Participating businesses were required to post a photo of their window display on their Facebook pages with the hashtag #wwinshow.

Having posted Etc.’s photo, Link said she heard back from the organization a few days ago that her business won the award.

Knowing the chances were slim and many larger businesses often hire people to design their windows and have much larger budgets, Link said she initially thought it was a prank that they won.

“I was so excited,” she said, adding she posted the announcement to every Facebook page she was a member of. “I put it everywhere I could. I was so tickled.”

Link said the budget for her windows often is around $50 and rises to $100 around Christmas.

Although the display was up from November until the end of December, Link has since taken it down and is planning the next one.

Above all, Link said she wants the window displays to represent what Etc. is all about.

“I guess what our store is, it’s feeling welcome; it’s comfortable,” she said. “Customer service is gone in a lot of big box stores and we talk to every single person that comes through the door.

“I feel like Etc. is like shopping with friends.”

COURTESY — ERIN LINK This is the winning holiday window display at Etc. Boutique, which was up for view from November to December.