Most area retailers report good holiday sales
By JENNIFER WILSON
News editor
Although Christmas sales were down for many retailers nationwide, the country's economic slump appears to have missed Hillsboro businesses.
Christmas sales were higher than expected for many stores, according to some local retailers.
"We did great," said Cora Friesen, manager of Radio Shack/Quick Flick. "We had good traffic flow, and things were moving out the door."
Sales are staying high after Christmas in Friesen's store as customers purchase accessories to go with their gifts, Friesen said.
The unusually warm weather has been also been a factor in getting locals into the store, she said.
Carmen Jones of Prairie Flowers also says the weather has affected business — but in a different way.
Warm temperatures don't exactly make people think of the Christmas season, so many of them put off their gift shopping until the last minute, Jones said.
But regardless of when they did their buying, sales were good at Prairie Flowers, she said.
Sales at Alco have exceeded company expectations, said Ron Latta, manager.
"It's one of our better years," he said.
Discount stores in general performed quite well, despite the national downturn, Latta said.
At Molly's on Main Street, sales associate Janice Porter said that gift items sold very well over the holidays.
"Midwesterners love to give antiques," she said.
Over at Hillsboro True Value Hardware, co-owner Ken Kozlowsky said that although the final numbers weren't in yet, he felt satisfied with his stores sales over the Christmas season.
"We felt comfortably busy," Kozlowsky said.
But at Tan It All, sales were lower than what owner Lisa Hanschu had predicted.
"They weren't at all what I expected," Hanschu said.
Compared to last year's Christmas revenue, sales were definitely down this year, she said. Her Herington branch did better than its Hillsboro counterpart.
The store did see a good amount of last-minute shoppers, but as a whole, December's sales weren't as high as Hanschu had hoped.
The events of the past fall have made many people more cautious with their funds, Hanschu said.
"People are holding onto their money," she said.
