March 29, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Local merchants reflect on holiday season

PRESQUE ISLE — Local merchants in central Aroostook County are tallying up receipts from the first Christmas season with competition from the Aroostook Centre Mall and fewer shoppers from Canada and Loring Air Force Base.

Some businesses emerged unscathed and reported “excellent” seasons. Some took a licking. Others said they made out OK or saw little change from last year.

At Chapter 1 bookstore at the corner of State and Main streets, business was off 30 percent to 40 percent compared with last year’s holiday season, according to Terry Smith, the store’s owner.

In Presque Isle, Paul Kinney, owner of Kinney’s Men’s and Boy’s Store, said holiday business was “down a little, but pretty good. I’m happy.”

Jay Weinberg of Weinberg’s women’s apparel, said business was “good.

“We were real pleased,” said Weinberg. “We changed our inventory a little and changed our pricing. We have been working on it for two years and it seemed to pay off.”

Florence Zettergren, owner of Pieces of Eight bookstore in Presque Isle, said business picked up at the end of the month after a slow start.

“People were in more on payday, and at the end they were panic-buying,” said Zettergren. “I was pleased with the people who did shop and was encouraged when they said they wanted us to stay in business.”

Mike Czosnek, manager of Goldsmith’s sporting goods in Presque Isle, said business was down substantially because of the selection offered at the mall and because fewer Canadians were shopping on this side of the border.

Canadians say they can’t afford to pay the new Canadian taxes collected at the border and the difference in the currency exchange rate.

“There was more to pick from at the mall and people strayed away from the more traditional Christmas gifts,” said Czosnek. “If all the merchants had charged a 15 percent discount on Canadian money like we did, instead of nearly 30 percent, it would have been an incentive for more Canadians to drive over.”

Nita Campbell of Bridal Shop on North Street in Presque Isle said her 2 percent increase in business was not related to the mall.

“There is no bridal shop at the mall,” said Campbell. “They didn’t cut into my business and I don’t think I picked up any business from traffic to the mall.”

Harry Wilder, owner of Wilder’s Jewelry Store in Presque Isle, said business remained at last year’s level.

Jim Collier, an owner of Art’s Appliance and Furniture in Ashland, said his store had a lot less traffic.

“The serious shoppers stayed with us and I think we will be OK,” said Collier. “We had fewer people working and have had to produce more work ourselves to adjust to the new mall and the economy.”

Twelve miles away in neighboring Caribou, the L.S. Hall Co. apparel store had a “good” season despite the departures from Loring Air Force Base, fewer Canadians and the loss of J.C. Penney’s downtown store to the mall, according to owner Brenda Sleeper.

“People were supporting local stores,” said Sleeper. “I can’t complain.”

“We had an excellent Christmas season,” said Denise Bosse, owner of Mementos, a hobby shop. “We carry Boy and Girl Scout supplies, have a teachers’ supply section, trains, and computer hardware and softwear.”

Peter Taylor, manager of the J.J. Newberry store, said business was off more than officials had planned with the new competition.

“We knew we would be hurt until the first of the year because of the newness of the mall,” said Taylor. “We planned on that, but it was off more than we had planned.”

However, the Newberry store in Mars Hill benefited from traffic traveling north to the mall.

“Overall, the mall actually helped us,” said Manager Deanna Collins. “We had a lot of people who said they loved Newberry’s and wanted to stop in on their way to Presque Isle. They said they used to go to Bangor to shop.”

Pam Cyr, owner of Pam’s Country Keepsakes in Caribou, said her business was down “slightly.

“There was no big jump at all,” said Cyr. “We really didn’t notice it that much. The people leaving the base had the most impact on us.”

Trade at Miller’s Discount Store in Caribou was “certainly down,” according to Manager Louis St. Amant. “It was the lowest in three or four years,” he said.

St. Amant said his store has felt the impact of the mall, fewer Canadian and Loring shoppers, the economy and the new Wal-Mart store in Presque Isle.

He said Farrington’s, an associate of Miller’s located in Fort Fairfield, also felt the crunch because it is heavily dependent on the nearby Canadians.


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