Main Street is the hub of any community, and in order to keep that core alive local businessmen and women encourage everyone to do one thing, shop locally.
This past year it seems as though those living in the community listened to the cries of small town business owners, and kept their hard earned dollars right here in Barrhead.
The weather may be cold, but hearts of business owners are filled with warmth, after a busy and fruitful Christmas season.
Looking forward into 2015, those who continue to shop local may see a few changes. New and unique products are to be hitting the shelves in the New Year, with business owners excited to offer top of the line products.
After spending an afternoon wandering the chilly streets of downtown Barrhead it was easy to see what tourists and locals love about the new and familiar stores that line the Main Street.
Not only are the welcomes warm and the owners friendly, but their fury friends are always tail wagging happy to see you.
Here are what your some of your local business owners have to say about their past Christmas season, and what people can expect in 2015.
Owner: Kristi McKort
The air carries the smell of freshly burning candles, with an atmosphere that is both welcoming and warming, the Wishing Well Home and Gift provides a space where shoppers feel welcome to browse the shelves for as long as their eyes please.
Owner Kristi McKort said this year she spent her busy Christmas days encouraging the community to shop locally.
“Lot’s of people that I talked to did stay local this year, and were planning on doing all of their shopping here,” she said, adding shopping local is important for businesses large and small.
“If you don’t shop local we will not be here,” McKort said. “If you want the businesses in town then you need to shop at them.”
McKort said the Wishing Well participated in the Shop Local program put on by the Barrhead Chamber of Commerce, and suggested that those shopping in her store enter the draw, and shop at other local stores also participating.
In the New Year, McKort said they are planning on doing something different.
“New stock, new product lines, everything new,” she said.
Owner: Susan Peters
With a furry friend welcoming you at the door this local hot spot is a pet lovers delight, with fresh dog treats and rows of different toys, this is any doggie’s paradise.
Susan Peters owns Best Friends Pet Supplies, and is happy to have Buster nearby to welcome customers with a unique and friendly greeting.
Peters said that pet owners often shop for their pets last during Christmas.
“It is always extremely busy here the last couple of days before Christmas,” Peters said. “It was a good season, we can’t complain at all.”
When it comes to purchasing toys, treats, or other necessities for your furry friends, Peters recommends keeping it local.
“There are a lot of unique shops in Barrhead,” she said. “If we got big box stores in, that would eliminate a lot of that.”
Peters added that tourists are often impressed with the number of unique stores that are in the area.
“They are quite impressed with Barrhead and all of the little shops because there are the unique shops and I think that is what keeps us alive,” Peters said.
Peters said 2015 is looking fairly uneventful for the business.
“I can’t see any big change, I expect it will be another decent year,” she said.
Owner: Oscar Daase
It was 60 years ago on Monday, Jan. 5, that the Daase family opened Barrhead Shoes, and to this day they remain proud of their family legacy.
With shoes for every reason and season lining each and every wall, there are infinite possibilities to the places you will go.
Oscar Daase, owner of Barrhead Shoes, said their Christmas season was off to an early start thanks to the snowy weather.
“The Christmas season was great,” he said. “That really had everybody thinking about buying winter boots.”
For Daase shopping local is about the quality of service you may not find in the city.
“We try and offer maybe a little bit better service, if you go tootles off to the city and buy something there and you have a problem, that means another trip back into the city,” he said.
Daase said that he often hears stories customers share about their shopping experiences, both the good and the ugly.
“Quality is a lot different than quantity,” Daase said, adding that buying something cheaper does not always mean it is better.
Looking into 2015, Daase plans on continuing to serve above and beyond, and looks forward to another 60 years serving Barrhead.
“I just hope that people will support us, and we will try to help them as best as possible,” he said. “And continue to serve people like we have been doing.”
Owner: Chris Driessen
The smell of coffee welcomes you as you walk through the front door, with dazzling displays that catch your eye.
The Flower Shoppe is a place people can go to buy a coffee and chat on barstools, or browse the many shelves stocked with unique items.
Chris Driessen, owner of the Flower Shoppe, said that their Christmas season was as busy as ever, and that was all thanks to local shoppers.
“We had a good Christmas season, I found that lot’s of people from Barrhead shopped local this year, which was very nice for the business owners in Barrhead,” Driessen said, adding the best compliment a business owner can receive is seeing people shop locally.
“As a business owner you strive to please the people in your town, and you strive to bring that product in that hopefully they are wanting, and it really showed this year that we did do that for our customers,” she said.
The New Year is looking busy for the Flower Shoppe, with new unique products hitting the shelves.
“(We are) looking for something new and different, that is what we always like to do,” she said.
After polishing off another busy Christmas, Driessen just wanted to add one small thing.
“Thank you to the Barrhead community, and we look forward to serving you over the next year.”
Owner: Dave Sawatzky
Whether you are looking to renovate your home or whip up a good meal, Sanderman’s Home Hardware’s shelves are filled with everything you need to get the job done.
Sanderman’s owner Dave Sawatzky said that this Christmas season was successful thanks to everyone who shopped local.
“We are very happy with how our year turned out,” he said.
The biggest challenge businesses faced was how easy it was for shoppers to drive to Edmonton.
“I think that our biggest challenge this year was the weather and cheap gas, so it was very easy to go to the city to shop,” Sawatzky said, adding Barrhead is one of the best communities for supporting local businesses.
“They do a fantastic job supporting our business community in town, we are very fortunate that way,” he said.
Sawatzky said that local businesses provide jobs for youth.
“In order for us to employ people’s youth, and their kids, we have to have that business to take on that staff,” Sawatzky said.
Moving forward in 2015, Sawatzky said Sanderman’s will be continuing to offer the latest products at a reasonable price.
“We are going to continue to be innovative and look for new products that we can bring in to keep people shopping local,” Sawatzky said. “I think if we give them a good selection at the right price people will shop local.”
Due to time restraints not all businesses were able to be interviewed.
