Local boutique sees holiday boost as shoppers turn to vintage goods
TaMya Bracy
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — Retailers, large and small, have noticed a difference in consumer habits, specifically toward vintage items.
Amy Heath, owner of The Lucky Tiger, a small boutique that sells vintage items, said her holiday sales have been much better than last year.
“People are more interested in buying recycled things, vintage things, that have been things that aren’t being made that are new, and they’re seeing the quality and vintage clothing and accessories and things like that,” Heath said.
Heath also said she’s noticed a difference in customers’ shopping habits.
“Everyone seems to have a little bit more money around the holidays. The sales have kicked up, and people are buying different things,” she said.
Heath said this holiday season, she is not carrying many new items because she didn’t know what to expect this holiday season.
“Usually I’ll have new t-shirts and socks and, you know, gift items that are just traditional Christmas things, and I’ve just cut back on that because it’s a gamble. You never know. And if you don’t sell it, you know, you either up the clearance on it or get rid of it.”
Heath said it’s incredibly important to shop locally.
“I spend money locally. As a business owner, I think it’s really important to have a relationship with your community and then it kind of spreads the word,” she said. “They come back in here, and a lot of local businesses share everyone else’s posts on social media and it’s kind of like a big family in town with local businesses.”
Heath said getting out and visiting small businesses you’ve never been to will help this holiday season.
“When people come and visit our town, they’re not interested in going out to The North Shoppes, maybe to get something that they know that they’re going to get,” she said. “People want to see that our Downtown people want to see our architecture. They want to see the little shops that…that make us, us, the museums and whatnot.”
Heath said Downtown shops have a lot more to offer to shoppers than a computer does.
“I mean, let’s face it, what else are you going to do except for go out and get that holiday feeling shopping,” she said. “Go look at the Christmas lights. There’s a Christmas bar downtown where it’s all decorated up for Christmas.”
Heath said Downtown St. Joseph is growing, and it’s something the community should be positive about.