Albert Lea merchants are optimistic

Published 8:58 am Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Though many people across the country are showing concerns about the success of the upcoming holiday shopping season, several local business owners said they are optimistic and hopeful about the outcome.

Many local businesses offer services that are unique from large retail chains, and people still are seeking out those services, they said.

For example, Bill Hertling, who owns Leuthold’s in Northbridge Mall with his wife, said his store offers different kinds of merchandise that can’t be found in other places throughout the community or even in nearby communities. Because of this, they often have customers who go out of their way to come to their store.

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“I wonder if our store is kind of immune to this because we offer these different things,” he said of the economic crisis. “Because we are a true specialty store there are things you don’t see everyplace else.”

Though business in the month of October was said to have been down across the country, that wasn’t the case for Leuthold’s, Hertling said.

Gladys Reinertson of Reinertson’s Embroidery shared similar thoughts.

Her business provides a service, not solely retail products, Reinertson said. In fact, Christmas is her store’s busy season.

She gets phone orders, Internet orders and calls based on advertisements in magazines from people who want a personalized gift for their family or friends.

If people want to spend money, they go an extra step to personalize it, Reinertson said.

The items the business embroiders most are sweatshirts, hats and jackets, she said. They’ve seen a big increase in tractor apparel and school apparel.

When it comes to the holiday shopping season for Mary Ellen Johnson, of Celebrations Party & Gifts, she said so far the Thanksgiving shopping season has been going about normal for her business. She’s hoping the shopping will be normal or better between now and Christmas.

“You just don’t know,” Johnson said. “Because you’re hearing it all over that people aren’t going to spend as much for Christmas.”

Hearing those reports has a snowball effect on other people and sometimes can make them think maybe they shouldn’t spend as much either, she said.

At the same time, however, she said she thinks Albert Leans have always been very practical.

“I don’t think that people overspend and get themselves into a lot of trouble,” Johnson said. “They kind of know what they want to spend, they plan it and they have a nice Christmas.”

Like the others, she said her business is one that’s a little bit different than most.

Celebrations offers products for an affordable luxury, she said.

Along the lines of a large retail chain, Albert Lea Walgreens store manager Steffanie Corning said she, too, is optimistic about holiday shopping sales.

She said right now the store’s regular sales are up 79 percent over last year, and they have been getting many sales already on their Christmas merchandise.

“I think we’ll do pretty good,” Corning said. “We did good last year, and I’m expecting double.”