BELLEVUE, Ky. — For many small businesses, the holidays don’t end on Christmas Day. The next few days are an opportunity to end the year on a high note.
For many people, the day after Christmas is usually a day to relax and recover with friends and family. But for small business owners in Northern Kentucky, this is not only an opportunity to connect with customers, but also to clear out Christmas inventory before the new year begins.
In Bellevue, small businesses like the festive boutique Splendid Things opened the day after Christmas, inviting shoppers to participate in post-holiday bargains and returns. Longtime owner Crystal Thompson said it’s normal for her to be open the day after Christmas.
“Usually we’re here the day after Christmas. People may come back,” Thompson said. “They have a party this weekend and still need presents, but they know they’ll find something here. And they expect me to be here.”
She also explained that construction on the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge connecting Cincinnati and Newport was shut down in November, which is impacting her and other small businesses along Fairfield Avenue.
“What used to be a 10-minute drive now takes an hour,” she said. He also explained that the region’s annual Christmas Walk event (held on Small Business Saturday), which encourages residents and visitors to shop at small businesses, was also affected, ultimately impacting sales.
However, she said sales have picked up over the past two weeks and she remains optimistic. Now she relies on shoppers like Cindy Wilson. They enjoy shopping after the holidays to end the year on a positive note.
“We still have a party on Saturday,” Wilson said. “We’re going to have a special event with our family after Christmas. There are still some small items we’d like to get, like stocking stuffers. But I love shopping here.”
Thompson is looking forward to the new year. She says she knows things will get better.
She said: “People love this little neighborhood, they love this little town. We have great food here, we have great shops, and I’m sure people are looking forward to coming back.” ” he said.
According to Intuit QuickBooks’ 2024 Holiday Shopping Study, many small business owners rely on holiday sales for at least one-third of their annual revenue.
