From Small Business Saturday through Christmas Eve, 3rd Avenue stores in downtown Sturgeon Bay say holiday business has been bustling. Some shops have had a long presence and have become destination shops year round. Bonnie Statz, owner of the Dancing Bear Toys and Little Luxuries, says Christmas time is always a busy time for them and this year has been no exception.
John Maggitti and his wife are marking their first Christmas with Novel Bay Booksellers. The shop has only been open since July. Maggitti says he took a wild guess about how holiday business would be and it far exceeded his expectations. He believes their success is due to keeping things simple and fast customer response.
For many customers, niche shopping is becoming the only way to buy holiday gifts.