How to buy local in Nome this Christmas

With Christmas in about two weeks, many Nomeites are scrambling to find last minute gifts for their family and friends. With businesses being hit by COVID-19 related closures and the lack of Iditarod and summer tourism, it is now more important than ever to support Nome businesses by buying local.

Although most business owners have closed their doors to customers or have limited occupancy, many are finding creative ways to sell their goods through online platforms.

Maruskiya’s of Nome was closed for several days in late November, but reopened December 1. Maruskiya’s of Nome store manager Robert James said that they are currently allowing only one customer in the store at a time. James said that he is trying to make it easier for local people to purchase items virtually, their central platform being a Facebook store. Online purchasing introduces new hurdles, such as how to conduct payments. “I want to make it easy for everyone,” James said. To further limit physical traffic, the store will also deliver within Nome.

Overall, James said that the store has handled the many COVID-19 adjustments well. It helps that Maruskiya’s is already an established store with regular clientele. It has maintained an online art gallery for 15 years, and James said he gets emails daily about artwork.

As to the importance of buying locally, James said that small businesses are important for establishing and maintaining the middle class. The world is becoming increasingly more corporate, favoring, on one end, big corporations and, on the other, lower class employees. Small businesses, therefore, are important for keeping the in-between middle class alive.

Besides Maruskiya’s, another option to buy local gifts is The Murre. Store is closed to walk in customers, but for sale items are posted on Facebook, and people can text owner Bridie Trainor about items they like. Trainor will also ship purchases over $50.

For those who want to sew their own gifts, or those who want to gift sewing materials, Nome’s fabric shop, Sew Far North, is open. Owner Kirsten Bey said that her typical hours are Monday through Friday 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Buyers can pick material up on the porch and Bey takes orders over the phone.