Gone are the days when small downtown Los Altos businesses began decorating for the holidays around Thanksgiving; with increasing foot traffic and holiday events kicking off in the late fall and early winter months, the busy season, and preparing for it, can often begin months in advance.
Ellen Biolsi, owner of Cranberry Scoop at 295 State St., started stocking her gift boutique with holiday items before Halloween. On a recent day, Biolsi was in her store before it opened, chipping away at the decorating she was doing across multiple days.
But Biolsi said decorating is just part of prepping for the holiday season.
“Preparation for the holiday season is really in the back of my mind all year,” she said. “Most of the holiday merchandise is ordered at the January market. So, if I purchase something new, I’m thinking about it off and on during the year, deciding on displays and merchandising.”
The busiest season for Cranberry Scoop is the fourth quarter, but it’s not necessarily the same for all downtown stores; for some, it begins a bit earlier.
Maria’s European LifeStyle, a staple for nearly 50 years at 393 Main St., experiences an uptick in clients around the end of summer and throughout the rest of the year, according to Maria’s chief operating officer Rita, who asked to be identified only by her first name.
In addition to stocking inventory like tablecloths and other accessories for customers and passersby window shopping during the holiday season, Maria’s offers holiday wholesale items to hotels and restaurants, which often begins way before the season is reflected in the storefront.
“We’re always doing tabletops. We have our own brand, so people come to us for our tabletop exclusives, and things like that,” Rita said. “With (creative director) Deborah’s designs, and things like that, we actually have to start a year in advance.”
As much of the inventory in Maria’s is from Europe, preparing is not necessarily difficult, but it is more time-consuming. Much of the prep includes working extra hours, Rita said, and while most of the holiday merchandise comes in by the end of September, having everything on display and all the holiday decorations up for clients has a deadline.
“We always set a goal to be holiday-ready, at minimum by the Los Altos Holiday Stroll that (the Los Altos Village Association) does,” Rita said. “So, we shoot for that goal.”
The 20th annual Holiday Stroll, scheduled 5-9 p.m. Friday in downtown Los Altos, provides a cheery atmosphere with carolers and music. The event encourages local residents to shop at various small businesses, eat at local restaurants and get into the holiday spirit.
The creative director at Maria’s added that many people who come into the shop, even if they don’t buy anything, leave with holiday decorating inspiration.
While the number of customers for small businesses is returning to pre-pandemic levels, the busy holiday season can be difficult for merchants, who often operate with skeleton crews. The ask from business owners? Grace.
“Be patient. We are all doing the best we can with staffing issues,” Biolsi said. “Shop early, try shopping at times that are traditionally off-hours.”
For more information on Cranberry Scoop, visit thecranberryscoop.com. For more information on Maria’s, visit mariaseuropeanlifestyle.com.
