Downtown retail experienced sales that were OK, all things considered
Most say that the parking plan paid off for shoppers
Antiques were big sellers
By Gloria I. Wang
Although the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks dealt a harsh blow on the national and local economy, Los Gatos businesses recovered quickly and reported a holiday season that was, for the most part, not too bad.
Most downtown businesses reported sales that were almost equal to last year's numbers, while a few store owners declared 2001 a bad year for retail.
"Most of the businesses did OK. Some did really well. Some did poorly," said Margaret Smith, outgoing chairwoman of the town's Chamber of Commerce. There was a balance in retail, Smith says; however, not one store had a "spectacular season."
Some said that the town and the Town Chamber of Commerce's combined efforts to promote shopping in Los Gatos helped alleviate what could have been a bad situation for businesses.
"Everything this year was at its best," Smith said, adding that the town and local businesses partnered up to display signs and advertising that inspired residents to shop locally. In addition, "the valet parking was a spectacular resolution," Smith said, for shoppers who had been frustrated in the past by a lack of parking.
"I heard more people say, 'We're shopping at home this year,'" said Shirley Henderson, co-owner of antique store the Antiquarium. Shoppers at the Antiquarium were mostly regulars this holiday season, as opposed to out-of-town visitors.
Kurt Lemons, owner of outdoor outfitter Upstream Fly Fishing, says the valet parking program benefited those who wanted to linger in stores and could leave their cars parked for hours at a time.
The French Cellar, an E. Main Street shop that specializes in fine wines and gourmet imports, reported a relatively good year in sales. Co-owner Jay Druian says sales were slow in the first few weeks of December, but "kicked into high gear" halfway through the month. "Dollar-wise, we were about the same [as last year], but given the state of the economy, it's a good thing," Druian said.
According to Druian, shoppers this season were buying less extravagant goods than they had in the past, instead spending on more personalized, meaningful, value-oriented purchases.
Smith, co-owner of gift and home store Domus, agreed. The mood of customers was more thoughtful, and they bought with a purpose instead of spending wildly.
Domus saw an increase in shopping the last few weeks of December, after experiencing a slight dip immediately after the terrorist attacks. Smith says Domus ended up meeting its "modified projections" for the season, with increased sales to locals through its website.
Antoinette Shirley, art consultant for Studio 42, says the store's sales were almost equal to what they had been the year before. Shirley speculates that Sept. 11 led people to want to stay home more, and, as a result, spend more money on beautifying their homes than going out and traveling.
"November was just miserable. It was just horrid," Lemons said. In October and November, Upstream Fly Fishing fell short of its expectations by close to 50 percent. The business had experienced a downturn starting in July. Lemons said, but the terrorist attacks served to accelerate the downturn, which became "really bloody." In December, however, sales bounced back and the store closed out the year by being off by a mere 8.5 percent, Lemons says.
"The economy definitely affected our business," said Ellen Wayker, owner of Purrsnickety and Bow Wowzer, which sell cat- and dog-themed merchandise. Sales for the year were down 10 percent, Wayker says, although the store had gone into Sept. 11 exceeding expectations.
"It's not awful. It could've been way worse," Wayker said. "[But] we've never not had a growth year, so it's just frightening."
Sales in men's clothing from August through October were "really flat" and then were extremely high in October and November, said Jahan Dokht Hill, owner of Jahan Dokht Inc., located inside the Opera House. In December, however, sales decreased by 40 percent, despite Hill's purchasing more affordable goods and marking items down. The clothier ended the holiday season with a large inventory.
On the flip side, antiques were evidently a prized holiday gift, as the Antiquarium exceeded expected sales by 10 to 15 percent. "It was our best Christmas season in 35 years," Henderson said. "I feel so lucky."
Los Gatos, California Since 1881
