Shop Local Saturday
Nov. 25-Dec. 1, 2020
HOLIDAY GUIDE
SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS
Support local businesses onsite and online
4
BY BOYD ALLSBROOK CONTRIBUTING WRITER his year’s post-Thanksgiving weekend of shopping holidays will be unlike any other. This should come as no surprise when one considers a market made unpredictable in the wake of a global pandemic, large swaths of the consuming public now reticent to venture outside and their consequent move to the safety of purely online vendors. The entire cultural zeitgeist around what Americans mean by in-person shopping has shifted from “a leisure activity I enjoy doing” to “a calculated risk I sometimes have to take.” As Black Friday and Shop Local Saturday approach, some wonder if Cyber Monday will steal the show. Western North Carolina’s many momand-pop shops have weathered the pandemic’s curveballs to the best of their ability, with varying means and degrees of success. Some local vendors have adopted online options as part and parcel of their day-today operations, while others say they haven’t needed to. Some, like Jo Gilley of Hazelwood’s Blue Ridge Books, have taken advantage of unique programs like Bookshop.org in addition to maintaining limited in-person hours. “What we’re doing is kind of different,” said Gilley. “Independent bookstores all got together and formed Bookshop.org — but it isn’t through us, it’s through our distributor. So you’re not actually shopping books from our store, but we still get a little piece of the action.” The website is essentially a way for over 800 independent bookstores to pool their resources, to help each other make it through a time where Amazon’s convenience dominates the bookselling world. Bookshop functions similarly to mega-sites like Amazon, with one key difference: if you select your local bookstore on the site, they receive the 30 percent of the profit, without having to worry about inventory or shipping. Even unspecified purchases help local stores — they all share 10 percent of the website’s general purchases, just for being members. “It’s helped all of us a lot,” Gilley said. “It started right at the beginning of COVID, and we all get a profit sharing, a little piece of the pot.” Even with Bookshop.org’s added monthly support, however, Blue Ridge Books is still struggling. Though they’ve expanded hours since the pandemic’s initial losses, Gilley said that she’s still afraid they might close every day. “We’re gonna try our best to keep going,” she said. “We still don’t have normal hours, just because there’s no reason for me to pay somebody to stay here just to sell a newspaper or two.”
T
to single out particular indie bookstores.” Though times are still harder than usual, between their website, Bookshop.org, and strong local support, City Lights is doing just fine. “We had five local authors drop new books this season. Any one of those books would have made a month for us in a normal year, and we had five! We had strong sales in July and August,” Wilcox said. “We were back down a little bit in September, but hey — back down a little bit is a new up. So we’re holding our own and we’re grateful for it.” He emphasized the importance of people shopping locally, saying, “you’re betting with your pocketbook on the importance of having a strong local economy.”
Gilley cited an outpouring of local support as the reason they’ve lasted this long. “We were very fortunate that customers from all over were ordering books from us just to keep us viable during that bad time. We had other customers who just donated money to us, bought gift cards. We’re very grateful to all of them,” she said. Sylva’s City Lights Bookstore dealt with similar challenges at the onset of the pandemic. “A couple off-site events that we depend on were cancelled in March. We had to lay City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. everyone off which was very painful,” said owner Chris Wilcox. “While we closed the shop floor, the cat and I stuck around to do curb service, the website, phone orders, text, Facebook messenger — we were taking orders however we could. That was it until we got into phase one of reopening.” Though City Lights was significantly hampered by reduced occupancy — they still only allow nine people in the shop at one time — they were aided by their longrunning independent website. “We’ve been doing e-commerce for 20something years,” said Wilcox. “So we were glad we had a little leg While many small vendors like Blue up. It’s a pretty full-functioning website. It Ridge and City Lights have leaned into works pretty well — people can opt to either online shopping, others surprisingly haven’t pick up here, curbside, have things mailed. needed to. Patricia Miller of Waynesville’s We’re trying to help people stay home, stay Affairs of the Heart, a gift boutique, said safe if that’s what they need to do.” that she considered e-commerce in early Wilcox was more prepared than most March, but now simply doesn’t have the local vendors. Already well-practiced in time. mailing books all over the country, when “We’re technologically challenged,” she COVID hit, City Lights had a system in place laughed. “I do think at the beginning it was for locals to turn to. tough for us not to have online shopping, “A lot of customers who’d never really but now we’re so busy!” had occasion to use it were like, ‘Oh, yeah, Affairs of the Heart closed in early March they do have a website!’ and so a lot of our for a few weeks before reopening to sell old friends suddenly became web shoppers,” hand sanitizer and masks along with their said Wilcox. “Having the website means that regular inventory. they can shop online and still shop local.” “We opened a little early — we’d been City Lights also joined Bookshop.org. doing curbside service, offering pick-up on “That organization is doing good work Facebook. But the real turning point was — they kind of take care of all the fulfillwhen we opened our doors again,” said ments so there’s not really a local pickup. Miller. “People were getting their stimulus They don’t really have some of our more money but were going to the big box stores locally published stuff though, so we still feel for gifts, because they were the only things that our own website is a very useful tool. open. So that’s when we decided that we But we’re very grateful for what Bookshop is were essential.” doing,” Wilcox said, adding, “It’s also a great Affairs of the Heart was curiously shieldway for authors to say, ‘you can get my ed from the brunt of COVID’s economic books through bookshop’ instead of having hardship.
“If you’d have told me in March that we’d be where we are now, I wouldn’t have believed you, said Miller. “Because once people started moving, it has been really busy. People are flocking to the mountains. They’re not going to the cities — they wanna come here and be outside and hike, so business has been phenomenal. I think we’ll actually end up on an up year!” Though this influx of travelers increases the risk of COVID transmission, Miller believes that if we’re careful, we can walk that line. “It’s a double-edged sword. All these people are coming in and you don’t know where they’re coming from and, yeah, that’s true, but you have to work. This is not a hobby for
me,” she said. “So, we wear our masks, and we wash our hands, and that’s all we can do.” Affairs of the Heart still offers pick-up orders and more socially-distanced options, but Miller said that she hasn’t had any requests. “I would do it — I made a video for Shop Local Saturday saying ‘message me! We’ll pick out anything you want and have it ready for you outside. We’ll empty the whole shop for you to browse alone!’ But they haven’t asked for it.” Miller, like Gilley and Wilcox, cited strong local support as the lifeblood of her pandemic success. “People have been so supportive,” she said. “The locals, who even way back bought gift cards and made a point to just come in and buy something, we are so grateful for. Though tourists are what help keep us in business, we truly love our locals, and we wish we had more of them. We’re very blessed.” For those planning to shop local this weekend or on Cyber Monday, remember to check with your favorite local shops to see what they have to offer online or by curbside pickup to support the local economy.
Shop local, be safe The numbers I Scott McLeod
• Small businesses accounted for 65% of all new jobs over the past 17 years. • Small businesses employ 77 million Americans. • 89% of consumers agree that independent businesses contribute positively to local economies. • Residential neighborhoods served by successful independent business districts gained, on average, 50% more in home values than their citywide markets. • Independent retailers and restaurants return more than three times as much money per dollar of sales back to their communities than national chains. • If just half the U.S. employed population spent $50 each month in locally owned independent businesses, it would generate $42.6 billion in revenue. Sources: U.S. Small Business Administration; Intuit Small Business Innovation Study; U.S. Dept. of Labor.
SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS HOLIDAY GUIDE
Which is even more reason to shop in one of our downtowns or one of our locally owned retailers. You won’t face the huge, jostling crowds and even long lines that are a normal part of the holidays at the big box stores. And with COVID having already hurt many local businesses, they need your love — in the form of your cash — more than ever this year. One more reality worth looking into this shopping season is that many of these small businesses have pivoted during the pandemic and upped their online game. Perhaps instead of visiting Amazon, you should check out the website of your local retailer and you might discover it’s just as convenient. My holiday shopping rituals have fallen into an annual pattern, one I look forward to each year. At some point — usually just few days before Dec. 25 — I’ll visit Blue Ridge Books, Hazelwood Soap, wander down Main Street in Waynesville and buy jewelry, pottery or clothes, maybe more. I’ll run into folks I know — including proprietors — catch up on small talk, perhaps grab some coffee or a beer. Sometime in that runup to Christmas, I might join my wife or my son and hit a few stores together as they finish up her list. Simple, easy, no pressure. Enjoy the season, and support the locals. Cheers. (Smoky Mountain News Publisher Scott McLeod can be reached at info@smokymountainnews.com.)
Nov. 25-Dec. 1, 2020
’m semi-quarantining in the week leading up to Thanksgiving due to a potential exposure to COVID. At this very moment I’m working at my stand-up desk enjoying a homemade hot mocha made with freshly roasted Colombian coffee beans from Steamline Coffee Company. It’s damn good coffee. Steamline is new the roasting arm of Orchard Coffee, located in downtown Waynesville, and I bought a couple of 12-ounce bags over the weekend. For years, my wife Lori and I have bought Editor fresh beans from local roasteries, usually Panacea Coffee or Smoky Mountain Roasters. When I heard that Cabell Tice at Orchard had started roasting, I couldn’t wait to give his beans a try. We’re fortunate that we have three local coffee roaster in the small town I call home. The caffeine addict in me is in heaven. So, I’m sipping this fantastic hot drink, pondering what promises to be a very different Thanksgiving with our grown children, and fixating on the importance of shopping local. It’s an annual exercise for me, worrying that too many people in Western North Carolina will forgo our local businesses as they prepare for their annual holiday shopping. This year, with the pandemic raging and online retailers sucking up local dollars at an unprecedented pace, it’s even more important to visit our local stores. It’s gratifying that the shop local push has — over time — turned into a kind of movement, but I totally understand it. From the Shop Small Saturday (that’s this Saturday, Nov. 28) that started 10 years ago to the “buy local” campaigns that have become commonplace, by now most Americans realize the value of spending their money with the small business owners they see around town every day. It makes economic sense, environmental sense and is just good for the town you live in. According to Adobe Analytics, on almost every day in November online shopping increased by double digit percentages over 2019. Another research firm, Digital Commerce 360, projects a 43.3-percent year-over-year jump in online commerce from November-December 2019. Convenience is what has traditionally been the catalyst for online shopping, but this year safety has become a factor. The pandemic has most of us fearful of crowds.
Shop small For more information on Shop Small Business Saturday, you can watch Katy Gould, Haywood Community College Small Business Center, and Kim Czaja, Haywood Chamber of Commerce, on Facebook live (www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=671053513604546&ref=watch_permalink) as they share the dirt on Small Business Saturday.
affairsoftheheartnc.com
5
Gifts to spark home improvement Eclectic Finds & Unique Gifts Home Accents • Jewelry Clothing • Garden Shop Christmas Shop
3388 Soco Rd. • Maggie Valley
828-926-3079
www.cabbagerose.com
eople have spent more time at home in 2020 than they likely have in years past. This has provided homeowners with plenty of time to ponder potential upgrades to their homes. After taking inventory of their lifestyles, surroundings and furnishings, people have embarked on construction projects or home interior design renovations in record numbers. Holiday gifts that cater to projects around the house are likely to be highly valued this holiday season. Here are some ideas for home improvement-related gifts. • Home improvement retailer gift card: Home improvement centers are one-stop shopping for do-it-yourselfers. To help offset the cost of supplies, gift-givers can give a gift card to a neighborhood hardware store. • Magazine subscription: There are plenty of ideas on the internet, but a subscription to a home remodeling or interior design magazine puts inspiration right in homeowners’ hands. Pages can be marked or cut out and used on idea boards. • Tools and supplies: Homeowners just starting out may benefit from the basics. Stores often sell starter tool kits that can be used in home improvement-themed baskets. Experienced DIYers may have a special tool in mind that is outside their budget right now, like a chop saw or cordless power drill. Purchasing one of these items can help projects move along more smoothly.
P
SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY 20% OFF select silver jewelry & other savings throughout the gallery!
• Expert consultation: Who can’t use a little help with their home remodeling efforts? Give the gift of a consultation from
Incredible savings!!!
Many gifts under $20
Nov. 25-Dec. 1, 2020
Poplar basket ornaments by Joe Williams,
only $12.50 Masks by Cheryl Danek $6.95
Crafted in Carolina Local Art & Jewelry 828.944.0004 3073 Soco Road | Maggie Valley Tuesday thru Saturday 10-5
6
craftedincarolina.net
Children’s book about an elk who is bullied. Written by Forest Ranger Ann Clayton,
$8.95 Wine or liquor bags $14.95
Handmade Leather purses & more!
HOLIDAY GUIDE
SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS
Largest Gift Shop in the Valley
an interior designer or professional contractor to help complete plans that may be a little out of reach for the average DIYer. • Big-ticket item: Some friends and family members may want to pool their resources and offer loved ones an overthe- top gift. This can include a backyard playset for children, a storage shed, a pool installation, or even a new appliance package. Gift ideas are endless and only limited by budget. • Room re-do: All it may take is some new linens or accents to transform a room. From throw pillows to curtains to wall art, give the gift of an easy room makeover. Riding the momentum of increased home improvement projects from the past several months, holiday shoppers can choose home-related gift ideas to keep the projects and ideas flowing.
Jane McClure,oil artist:
Patrick Clinch, stained glass art:
Rosemary Sexton, oil artist:
Diane Pfeifer, cotton bowls
Ed Green and Susan Macon, photography
Margie Hampton, artist
Incredible wood bowls by Mike McKinney
Matt Hess, leather art
Holiday Open House Fri.-Sat. 10-6 • Sun. Noon-5
Free pottery cup while supplies last!
MASKS REQUIRED: We are following all state and federal COVID-19 guidelines to ensure the safety of our staff and guests
The holiday season is steeped in tradition. Baking is one tradition that comes with the holiday territory. Many people may only bake in November and December, so it’s understandable if they’re a little rusty come the holiday season. These baking tips can lead to successful yields of cookies, cakes and other holiday treats.
• Spoon out your measurements It can be tempting to dig a measuring cup right into a bag of flour, but scooping packs the ingredients down — potentially causing you to use more than the recipe calls for. Instead, spoon the flour into your measuring cup gently and use a straight edge to level it out. Even better, use a scale and metric measurements to ensure exact amounts of wet and dry ingredients. • Read up on temperature Certain ingredients, like butter and eggs, are temperature-dependent. Cold butter in biscuits helps them to rise up flaky and delicious. Eggs brought to room temperature enable the emulsification process to work more readily. The difference in temperature can mean a completely different
828.456.1916 muddabbers.com muddabbers@gmail.com
chemical reaction, so follow the recipe accordingly. • Calibrate the oven Purchase an oven thermometer, set your oven to 350 F, the standard baking temperature, and see what the thermometer reads. If it is different, adjust cooking times accordingly or have the oven repaired. Cooking at the wrong temperature might mean the recipe doesn’t turn out right. • Use unsalted butter Most recipes will call for unsalted butter so you aren’t adding unwanted sodium to the recipe, affecting dough consistency and flavor.
Special Occasions and everyday fashions
Stocking Stuffers, Hostess Gifts and Ladies & Men’s Gift Ideas!
• Position pans centrally Pans should be on the center rack of the oven. If the oven isn’t wide enough to put multiple pans side by side, place them on different racks and slightly offset them to enable air circulation. • Use parchment paper This unsung hero of baking can keep cookies from spreading out on baking sheets, prevent cakes from sticking to pans and may even help batter and dough bake evenly. • Flip cakes Cool cakes upside down on a cooling rack. This will help flatten out the tops, which makes it easier to stack and level cakes for layered cakes. A few tips can go a long way to helping holiday baking go more smoothly.
Nov. 25-Dec. 1, 2020
• Follow the recipe carefully When cooking, it is easy to add an extra dash of this or a pinch of that. But baking is a science and the ingredients are used in a ratio to produce a desired chemical reaction while cooking. To ensure success, do not substitute ingredients unless the recipe tells you how to do so, and measure each addition carefully.
Between the Rest Area and the Blue Ridge Parkway entrance at Balsam Gap
HOLIDAY GUIDE
Preparing the kitchen for holiday baking
20767 Great Smoky Mtn. Expy. (Hwy. 23/74) Waynesville • 7 Days/Week, Year-Round
SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS
All Locally Handmade. Makes Great Gifts! December 2-6
CLEARANCE RACKS AND SELECT SALE ITEMS. 7
Keeping shoppers safe
ON MAIN FRANKLIN
HOLIDAY GUIDE
SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS
BOUTIQUE & GIFTS
Large Selection of Gourmet Goodies!
CLEANING 24 E. Main St., Franklin 828.369.7300 • Call for Holiday Hours
Join us in Dillsboro for
SHOP SMALL SATURDAY November 28th
This Holiday season looks a little different, but we can still
Nov. 25-Dec. 1, 2020
Business owners cannot predict what the future holds, but many are hopeful that the 2020 holiday retail season will provide a muchneeded boost to their bottom lines. The outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 in late 2019 and early 2020 led to plunging revenues for small businesses across the globe, forcing some to close their doors for good while others had to lay off or furlough staff to stay afloat. The holiday season is a lucrative time for retailers, and while small business owners are hopeful consumers will return this December, they may need to go the extra mile to calm any safety concerns their customers may have. Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have warned about the potential for a second wave of COVID-19 infections in late 2020, and that could compel holiday shoppers to stay home and shop online rather than in person. While it’s wise for small business owners to improve their e-commerce capabilities so shoppers find it easier to buy their products online, business owners also can follow these CDC-recommended procedures to prepare their stores for shoppers concerned by the COVID-19 virus.
When cleaning a store, the CDC advises owners and their employees to wear disposable gloves. Surfaces should first be cleaned with soap and water, and then disinfectant should be applied. That’s because soap and water and disinfectant perform different functions. Soap and water reduces the number of germs, dirt and impurities on surfaces, while disinfectant kills any remaining germs. Stores with heavy foot traffic should be cleaned frequently, but all stores require daily cleaning to keep customers safe. Store owners can devise their own cleaning schedules, but those whose stores are routinely welcoming customers throughout the day should plan to clean and disinfectant their facilities several times per day. The CDC advises paying special attention to high touch surfaces such as doorknobs, handles, countertops, and tables.
Share Joy!
DISINFECTING
SIDEWALK & PORCH SALES!
The CDC recommends using household disinfectants registered by the Environmental Protection Agency, a list of which is available at
Enjoy our Many Shops & Restaurants
www.epa.gov/pesticideregistration/ list-n-disinfectants-useagainst- sars-cov-2-covid-19. When using disinfectants, business owners and their employees should wear skin protection and consider protective eyewear to protect again potential splash hazards. Ensure adequate ventilation when using disinfectants, opening windows if need be. Follow manufacturer application recommendations, which should be listed on product labels. Avoid mixing chemicals, such as household bleach with ammonia or any other cleansers.
ELECTRONICS The CDC urges business owners to use wipeable covers on electronics to further reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. Such covers also can calm customers’ nerves and reassure them that business owners are taking every safety measure possible to ensure their health.
EFFORTS Business owners should post their policies regarding cleaning and disinfecting in full view of customers. Such postings may reduce anxieties about entering a store. In addition, business owners can inform customers they are willing to offer delivery or curbside pickup to anyone who’s hesitant to enter stores this holiday season. Opportunity awaits small business owners this holiday season. Taking every step to clean and disinfect their stores each day can reassure potential customers who may be hesitant to shop in person.
Voted #1 in Haywood County
Happy
Holidays Let us help you find the
CARRYING SIZES 0-4X
Dog Friendly! 8
Perfect Holiday Outfit
Black Friday & Small Business Saturday 25% OFF ENTIRE STORE (excluding sale racks)
162 N. Main Street r Waynesville r 828-476-5018
Ways to stick to a holiday budget T
2. Determine how much you can spend. Money for gifts and other holiday expenses should ideally come from your disposable income. Look at your finances in advance of
3. Set a spending limit for individuals. Based on your numbers and how much you plan to spend overall, start allocating money to categories, including gift recipients. Come up with a spending range for each person and stick to it. 4. Pay in cash as much as possible. It’s easy to know what you’re spending when using cash as opposed to credit. There is some risk with carrying around cash, but that risk may be offset by the benefit of spending only what you can afford to spend. 5. Track all purchases. Save the receipts and keep a running total of expenditures so you can see how your spending is measuring up to your budget. If necessary, scale back on one category if you’ve tipped the scales in spending on another.
for All Your Christmas Needs!
5 N Main Street • Waynesville • 828.452.7672
use a credit card, use one that earns you a cash-back bonus for added savings. A holiday budget is a must to avoid overspending and finding yourself in debt early next year.
Nov. 25-Dec. 1, 2020
Shop Small & Local
6. Shop sales and deals. High-end stores may have the impressive tag, but their prices can set you back. Instead, look for comparable gifts at other retailers. Also, if you must
HOLIDAY GUIDE
1. Budget for everything. When working out holiday spending plans, factor in all of the expenses associated with the holidays — not just the most obvious, like gifts. Costs for gas, parking lot fees, greeting cards, postage, travel expenses, and much more should be included in your final number.
the holiday season and figure out how much extra cash you have for the holidays, and use that figure to determine how much you should spend. Find ways to make up any deficit by curtailing expenses like dining out or entertainment extras. Many people plan to use credit cards to pay now and worry about the aftermath later. Only use credit cards if you have the money in the bank and can pay off the entire bill when the balance due is in January.
SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS
he holidays are an exciting, fun and joyful time of year. And for many people, the holidays also are expensive. According to the Motley Fool Company, a financial wellness resource, the average American spent $882.45 on Christmas gifts, food, decorations, travel, and other holidayrelated expenses in 2019. Around 56 percent of gift shoppers set a budget for holiday spending, but only 64 percent stuck to it. In addition, 21.5 percent of respondents went into debt due to holiday shopping. Who doesn’t want to have a super holiday with delicious foods on the table and lots of presents to share with family and friends? While that’s tempting, such a bounty should never result in financial peril. These six strategies can make it easy to establish and stick to a budget this holiday season.
9