DENTON
December 2017
Business
CHRONICLE
www.dentonbusinesschronicle.com
On a mission
Tips for the last-minute Christmas shopper By Randy Cummings
For the Denton Record-Chronicle
A
round this time of year, nearly every retailer can recall an experience — providing a story to tell — about a frantic procrastinator who has ignored their calendar and found themselves in the final days, hours and minutes of being able to wrap up their Christmas shopping. But there’s good news for these desperate gift seekers staring down Christmas Day while the clock ticks away: Last-minute shopping can be successful. Emily Wiest, who operates La Di Da, a women’s boutique on the Square, has on occasion gotten a call from the husband of one of her regular customers on Christmas Eve after her store has locked up for the holiday. “I’ll receive a phone call and someone will say, ‘Hey, can you meet me at the store real quick — I just need to pick up one more thing,’” said Wiest. “And, of course, I’ll do that. We want to take care of our customers. “It’s always the husbands on Christmas Eve,” she said. “It’s usually customers that we know their wives. They’ll say, ‘You know who she is.
ABOVE — Last-minute Christmas shoppers patronize Golden Triangle Mall on Christmas Eve in 2016. The stress of last-minute shopping can be reduced with a little preparation and common sense. Jeff Woo/DRC file photo
LEFT — Maggie MacNabb, left, and Phillip Carr shop at La Di Da on the Square on Monday. Retailers know to plan ahead when stocking up for Christmas. Jake King
CHRISTMAS | CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Three steps to avoid fake organic food By Kelsey Sheehy | NerdWallet
By Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe | Staff Writer The Embassy Suites by Hilton Denton Convention Center opened the first week of December with its first event hosted by the Denton Chamber of Commerce. The hotel and convention center have already booked about $3 million in business as far out as 2024. The facility is located just off Interstate 35, at 3100 Town Center Trail. The goal is to have $4 million in conventions in
Denton each year, said Jeff Pritts, the hotel’s general manager. TB Winds opened on the Square in November, saving Denton-area musicians from having to drive all over Dallas-Fort Worth for instrument repair and supplies. Owners Tony Barrette and Jen Guzman offer service to walk-ins and by appointment. Up on the second floor at 112 W. Oak St., the shop is open from 10 a.m. UPDATE | CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
Short of growing your own food or visiting the producer yourself, there’s no way to be 100 percent certain the food you purchase is grown in an organic, sustainable way, experts say. Yet shoppers who want organic food do have options, despite serious flaws in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s certification process, as outlined in a recent investigation by NerdWallet. Taking these steps requires more effort — sometimes much more effort — than simply looking for a green-and-white USDA organic seal. Here is some advice.
Use lists compiled by watchdogs
Americans turn to organics for two primary reasons, according to a survey by Pew Research Center. Some consumers want to help the environment by supporting sustainable agriculture. Others want to eat healthier and believe organic food is better in that regard.
NerdWallet
Choosing organic fruits and vegetables can lower your exposure to the chemical residue that can linger on your food. If your organic purchases are environmentally motivated, you can put your money toward farms with clean track records. You’ll be supporting the organics movement even if some conventionally grown food slips through to your shopping cart. You can improve your chances by consulting the Cornucopia Institute, a nonprofit advocacy group in Wis-
consin that rates U.S. farms and manufacturers of eggs, dairy, cereal and other items. A top-rated farm goes above and beyond the requirements for organic certification, whereas operations rated fair or poor have questionable compliance with USDA organic regulations. ORGANIC | CONTINUED ON PAGE 5