MOUNT VERNON — Area shoppers proved resilient in the face of dreary weather and gloomy economic forecasts, turning out, if not in droves, at least in respectable numbers for the county bicentennial edition of the downtown Christmas Walk on Sunday. Morning snowflakes turned to cold rain and drizzle during the afternoon, leading to a smaller turnout than was seen last year.
Leroy and Juanita Bumpus of Centerburg hadn’t planned specifically on going to the Christmas Walk, as they were in town Saturday for the parade. But at the last minute, they decided to check out their favorite shops in the Very Short North for gift ideas, and ended up finding a ceramic leaf in the North Main Gallery.
“Our daughter lives in Texas, but she likes to come back in the fall and see the leaves change, because they’ve just got ugly leaves out there,” said Juanita.
Leroy added that their daughter, Heidi, lives in Canadian, Texas, about half way between Oklahoma City and Amarillo, in the “Cap Rock” region.
North Main Gallery proprietor Tonia Osborn said that although she was seeing more looking than buying so far this shopping season, the number of big buyers has actually made it far better than expected so far. She said that as more and more shoppers are turning away from impersonal gift cards to looking for meaningful presents, it has helped her business.
Music resounded from the parking lot behind First-Knox National Bank, where various bands and singers were performing. Leading a group of Mount Vernon High School choir members in the rain, Marty Bell had to get creative, holding an umbrella in the crook of her neck while directing her students, huddled under an awning, with both her hands.
“They didn’t teach that technique in school,” Bell said, joking that she might end up with a permanent crick in her neck.
Reflecting the county’s bicentennial year, traditions stood prominent in many places.
“People are lovely,” said Laurel Wagner at Down Home Leather, who noted that she and her husband, Duke, have had their shop so long, she’s starting to serve the grandchildren of some of her original customers.
Inside Sips Coffee House, a full house was enjoying holiday music provided first by After Hours, then by Chestnut Ridge. Down on the portico of FirstMerit Bank, a succession of musical guests rotated as Santa Claus listened to children’s wish lists for Christmas.
Laura Coykendall of Kartika Creations noted that although her store has some loyal local customers, the core of their customers come from out of town. She said business had been slow thus far this weekend for the Christmas shopping season, but that they were trying to hang on.
“This will be a make-or-break season for us,” Coykendall said.
