The holiday lights are starting to twinkle again on N. Santa Cruz Avenue. Many of the store windows on Main Street and Los Gatos Boulevard are adorned with the decorations of the season, and all of the shops in town are packed with treasures and bargains just waiting to be snapped up by holiday shoppers.
In Los Gatos, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. And be aware, shoppers: Los Gatos stores and restaurants are open for business and ready to serve.
Residents should keep that in mind when it comes time for their holiday shopping and remember to support the local economy by shopping Los Gatos.
It's been rough over the last couple of years for area business owners. The economy started to take a nosedive in early 2001, and things just worsened in the aftermath of Sept. 11. Through these difficult times, businesses—large and small alike—have been struggling to maintain their workforce while still maintaining their bottom line.
These businesses need and deserve our support. Don't forget:
* They sponsor our kids' youth sports teams;
* They support activities at the high school and elementary school students in their fundraisers;
* They support local charitable organizations that raise funds for the disadvantaged and other worthwhile causes;
* They employ many of those who live in our community; and
* They give back to the community financially through the generation of sales taxes and business fees.
Sure, it may be convenient to shop online, but is Amazon.com or Athletic Performance sponsoring your son's Los Gatos Little League team? And it's pretty easy to shop by catalog, but it's Domus contributing to A Place For Teens, not Eddie Bauer.
Valley Fair and other San Jose area malls have much to offer their shoppers—hundreds of stores and almost as many eating establishments, all under one roof. But while there may be no roof over Los Gatos, the town has everything else a mall can offer, with a couple of added bonuses—the beautiful setting of downtown Los Gatos and the great feeling of community when shopping here. Shoppers can support downtown merchants without ever having to fight the battle of Highway 17 to get there.
The holiday season will officially kick off in Los Gatos when new Mayor Sandy Decker throws the switch on Dec. 6 to light the town Christmas tree. That night, the Town of Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce will begin its popular horse-drawn carriage rides that operate throughout the holiday season, and on Dec. 7 onlookers will turn out for the 46th annual Los Gatos Children's Christmas and Holiday Parade.
But the holiday shopping season traditionally begins on the day after Thanksgiving, and town businesses will be ready that day to welcome shoppers to town.
So think about our local merchants when doing your Christmas shopping. They're easy to find—they're right around the corner.
