Dec 10, 2013

Local Christmas Shopping Lucrative for Small Merchants This YearBy Shannon WatkinsSouthwestTimes.com

How are small local stores, especially those who carry unique, locally-made items, doing for the holidays? It’s a rough economy, and hard to compete with bigger discount chain stores, but plenty are popular with Pulaski-area shoppers, and a sample of area merchants say it’s only getting better with the season.

If you’re willing to expand your definition of “locally-produced” to anything from inside the state, Virginia peanuts are popular just about everywhere that sells them.

“They sell pretty well,” says Martin’s Pharmacy manager Eddie Hale, “probably better during the holiday season.” He noted that Martin’s carries other Virginia snacks, like Heritage House cheese straws from Richmond, which also sell well. “They sell real well during the holidays, I’d say probably 25 to 40 percent more than usual,” says Hale

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