Last Minute Shoppers Hit Downtown Saint Joseph Stores

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Some people like to wait until the last minute, and you could find plenty of them this Christmas Eve, hitting the stores in search of gifts. Around downtown Saint Joseph, stores were reporting bursts of ten or 15 customers at a time, and then sort of a lull. Eric Youngquist, owner of Purely Michigan, spoke with us during one of those breaks.

“Nothing attracts a crowd like a crowd,” Youngquist told WSJM. “Everybody kind of comes in ten at a time, and then nobody.”

Youngquist says Michigan oven mitts and a book on Al Capone are big sellers at his place this year. Cece Woodward, with the Olive Cart, tells us, for her, it’s been a little quieter, but overall sales are up. The big item at her store are the gift packs.

“We this time of year put out a lot of different what we call Grab and Go Gift Sets,” Woodward told WSJM. “It’s anywhere from barbecue sets to baking sets to just sample bottles or salsa packs, and those are always popular this year.”

The Toy Company’s Andy Vescolani says his business has been brisk, with puzzles and games a hot ticket.

“This time of year, families love to get together and play, and we have a wide variety, and we’ve got new stuff that people haven’t heard of,” Vescaloni said.

Most downtown shops we spoke to Christmas Eve told us they were going to close up in the afternoon. However, many added they’d stay open later if the customers kept coming.