Holiday shoppers out, about downtown
CHICO » On a weekend in Chico following the announcement by Butte County Public Health that retail stores would be allowed to operate at 20 percent capacity, shoppers stayed busy shopping local according to several business owners and employees at downtown shops.
Despite the limitations, many retail businesses are taking advantage of the hard times and staying positive. However, for many businesses inventory struggles have been common this year for a variety of reasons. Inventory has been a common struggle, but the kindness of customers has been another.
For Mountain Sports Owner Bruce Hart he admitted business is down this year because they have been forced to close at times, but recently his hardest part has been keeping things in stock. He said manufacturers were forced to close down for three months, leaving some seasonal gear not available at all times.
“Business is down but in relation to peoples’ enthusiasm to wanting to either fulfill their own personal needs or buy gifts for people I’m not going to complain,” Hart said.
He, like other business owners, are trying to remain as optimistic as possible.
Upper Park Clothing co-owner and founder David Selkirk said that in the seven years his company’s clothing line has been in business he has never seen more support for local businesses than in this year.
His company prints in Chico, thus having variables such as size, colors and other factors that have been unavailable due to COVID-19 shutdowns.
However, during such hard times, he is thankful for so many people shopping local. He encourages residents of Chico to shop local and, “keep it in the loop of Chico.”
“It’s cool to see customers super stoked so I really like that,” Selkirk said. “As they shop local they’re a little more happy with their decision-making too so I think that’s always nice.”
“The staff has just been happy to be here, happy to see people. “I just wish people happiness and I’m so glad to see the kindness that’s standing out amongst people.”
— Anita Homesley
At Upper Park Clothing Company Sunday Selkirk was unboxing boxes of both long sleeve and short sleeve t- shirts, as he says he hopes to have the company full restocked by Christmas.
At Tomfoolery employees agreed that ordering and inventory has been a constant struggle throughout 2020.
Employee Anita Homesley pointed to a spring and summer shelf they had.
“If you look at this over here this is all spring,” Homesley said. “This is what we all ordered to come in March and April. This is what people got for their gardens.”
At the time the stuff was to go for sale retail shops were forced to close down. Now open with limitations, Tomfoolery now features a mix of holiday items as well as a spring and summer shelf.
Homesley said that during such hard times, she appreciates people shopping locally, but even more so she appreciates the kindness of people on a daily basis, this year especially.
“The staff has just been happy to be here, happy to see people,” she said. “I just wish people happiness and I’m so glad to see the kindness that’s standing out amongst people.”