ROANOKE, VA. (WFXR) – Christmas may be over, but downtown shops say the days after the holiday can be just as important. Especially for small businesses preparing for the new year.“Well, right now it’s kind of early because it’s just a day after Christmas. Normally, the day after Christmas, people are very sluggish. They’re not up early, so it may take a day or two before we really see the impact,” said Pauline Wood, owner of Shades of Colors.
While returns haven’t picked up just yet, Wood says the end of the year is a critical time for sales.“January, February, and March really are the lower seasons. Basically, there’s no business at that time. So the end of the year is very important,” said Wood.
At nearby shops, owners say returns aren’t driving traffic; shoppers are.“We have a lot of shoppers who are from out of town. They’ve come to see their family, and they all usually bring them down to the market because it’s a fun place to find unique gifts,” said Laura Duckworth, co-owner of The Gift Niche…