Village Shops Battle the Big Box Retailers with 'Holiday Open House'

If you are one of those folks who doesn't like to see a Christmas wreath or tree ornament before Thanksgiving, "Maplewood Village Holiday Open House" may not be for you.

But if you need a little Christmas, right this very minute, Maplewood Village will be the place for you this Saturday, November 7, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., right through December 25 and beyond.

Isn't this a little earlier than usual?

Yes, says Hanh Truong, owner of Little One & Co. children's clothing shop and member of the Maplewood Village Alliance events committee.

"We promoted 'Shop your Village for the Holidays' around the same time last year," said Truong. "This year we are doing it a week earlier. It's not that much earlier, but it's important for us to be on top-of-mind for our customers and have our holiday merchandise out the same time as the big box stores."

In this economy, Truong adds, "Every purchase counts and impacts us 100 times more, so if we can influence people's holiday shopping while they are in the Village doing their everyday errands—groceries, dry cleaning, dinner, etc.—it will be more likely for them to remember us come gift-buying time."

Huong and other members of the events committee are entreating Village merchants to get out and showcase their Holiday wares and "get folks into the holiday shopping mode." Shoppers can expect holiday window decor, lights, seasonal music and treats and sidewalk luminaries throughout the Village after dark Thursdays through Saturdays until Christmas. ("The idea is to light up the streets and give the Village that extra cozy feel,"said Truong.)

Many shops will be staying open extra late—until 8 p.m.—on Thursday nights through the holiday shopping season.

Julie Doran, the new manager of the Maplewood Village Alliance, is plunging into this event during her first week on the job. Said Doran, "It is great to see the Maplewood Village merchants kicking off the holiday shopping season with a special event that will showcase their new merchandise and bring notice to expanded holiday shopping hours. 

"The Holiday Open House will mark the end of my first week working with the Maplewood Village Alliance and I have spent a portion of the week visiting many of these merchants and getting a sneak peek at the great merchandise that will be available. I have also heard residents expressing their desire for later hours in the Village so my hope is that people will shop locally and support these merchants in their efforts to meet residents' holiday shopping needs."