Sep 30, 2009

Gift store owners see hope in shoppers’ growing purchasesBy Jen AronoffCharlotteObserver.com

After moving their business to Ballantyne 10 years ago, the owners of the Cubbyhole gift shop watched as the area boomed. But as job and recession worries sent chills rippling last fall and winter, the store’s sales dropped. Some other nearby shops and restaurants departed for good, leaving vacancies in their wake.

Recently, though, the Cubbyhole has noticed shoppers’ spirits – and their willingness to spend – picking up. And as a result, the store is preparing confidently for the upcoming, crucial holiday season, said Geralyn Holcombe, co-owner with Carolyn Turner and Charlotte Grimes.

“It’s not going to be what it was two years ago,” Holcombe said. “(But) we think we’re going to have a great Christmas.”

The shop at Ballantyne Commons East is a colorful cornucopia of baby gifts, cards, picture frames, kitchen items, bath and body products, purses, jewelry and accessories, including the popular Brighton line. Clerks warmly greet customers as they browse.

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