Mistletoe
is for amateurs.
Give flowers. Then get ready to pucker up for the
holidays. And count on us to make sure your gift is
on time, done right and more than you expected.
Flowers are Always a Winner
Eugene’s Flower Home
The University Florist
610 East 13th at Patterson
485-3655
41
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eugenesflowerhome.com
01304!
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* -• - ♦ 4 ***"*+'***'+'*'+-+ *"**'***'*'*’****•*"* ■* * ♦ » ♦ * • * * • * • • i» 4 * * * • ♦ ♦ « * ♦ * • f « • 4 * • *
Eugene retailers
hope for the best
■Small business owners
believe Oregon’s recession will
not negatively affect sales
By Brook Reinhard
Oregon Daily Emerald
Local businesses are hoping for a
hopping holiday season, in spite of
economic indicators that point to
the contrary.
The unemployment rate has been
steadily increasing in Oregon since
September, and nationally, unem
ployment increased half a percent
age point to bring the jobless rate to
5.4 percent.
The Oregon economy is one of
the worst in the country right now,
according to the Eugene Area
Chamber of Commerce, but local
businesses are confident the next
several months will strengthen sag
ging sales. Some companies even
say this season may be the best
they’ve had in years.
“We kick ass over Christmas,”
said Raenie Kane, a manager for
House of Records on East 13th Av
enue. “We’re ordering a bit more (in
ventory) than we used to.”
Terry Connolly, director of gov
ernment affairs for the Chamber of
Commerce, said that retail business
es often depend on the winter
months for much of their sales.
“The holiday season may
bring an upswing in business,”
Connolly said.
Mark Agerter, co-owner of Eu
gene Toy and Hobby, said the shop
is actually doing better in the eco
nomic downturn.
“It’s been nuts down here,” he
said. “My heart goes out to the busi
nesses that aren’t doing well. ”
Agerter attributes Toy and Hob
by’s success to a shift in consumer
1 mentality that occurs during a re
cession. For example, remote con
trol cars and model trains, planes
i and cars are top sellers this year, and
Agerter said these items do well be
cause customers have been doing
more activities at home and spend
ing less money overall.
“People aren’t buying a $50,000
car. They’re spending $500 on a toy
car,” he said.
Jane Scheidecker, director of the
Oregon Small Business Develop
ment program run through Lane
Community College, agreed with
Agerter. Since Sept. 11, “people are
talking about personal and family
health issues like having adequate
food, housing, transportation and
positive human relations,” she said.
“We’re kind of the last ones to get
the message.”
Weldon Spangler, regional direc
tor of operations for Starbucks in
Oregon and Southern Washington,
said that customers at Starbucks
have also been focused on basic
needs. While customers have been
actively participating in a toy drive
the coffee chain has sponsored, it’s
too early to tell whether participa
tion has been affected as a result of
Sept. 11 or the downturn in the
economy, he said.
Arlyn Schaufler, merchandise di
vision manager for the University
Bookstore, said there is an increas
ing focus on community values for
this holiday season, and that cus
tomers have noticed the difference.
“People are nicer to each other
and pay more attention to each oth
er,” Schaufler said.
The bookstore’s business has ac
tually picked up this year because
of higher student enrollment and
the success of the University’s foot
ball team, Schaufler said. However,
since students often leave town over
the holidays, the company doesn’t
expect the holiday season to add
much to the bottom line — only 9
percent of bookstore’s sales are rung
up between Thanksgiving and the
New Year.
The Book Mark, another local
bookstore, doesn’t depend on the
holidays, either.
“December is a normal month,”
owner Larry West said. The store
used to get one-third of their busi
ness over the holidays, but sales for
the business have gradually evened
out over the years.
Terry White, manager of Eu
gene True Value Hardware, agreed
with West.
“We’ve made no change,” he said.
“December is our largest month of the
year—but it’s just another month.”
Emerald community reporter Brook Reinhard
can be reached at
brookreinhard@dailyemerald.com.
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