Sequim’s holiday shopping season is open

Retailers seek positive finish to 2019 after Snowmaggedon

By Matthew Nash • November 27, 2019 1:30 am
Sisters Cheryl Loucks and Charlene Davis both of Sequim look at Hallmark Keepsake ornaments inside the Co-Op Farm and Garden to add to their collection. The sisters said they’ve been collecting the ornaments for years with Charlene partial to series collections and Cheryl liking musical ones. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
Sisters Cheryl Loucks and Charlene Davis both of Sequim look at Hallmark Keepsake ornaments inside the Co-Op Farm and Garden to add to their collection. The sisters said they’ve been collecting the ornaments for years with Charlene partial to series collections and Cheryl liking musical ones. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Local retailers look to finish 2019 on a high note following a year of Snowmaggedon, a government shutdown and looming changes to minimum wage.

Those are some of the reasons businesses see the holiday season as a critical time for support, said Anji Scalf, executive director of the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce.

“This whole shopping season is super important,” she said.

“This is their chance to make it into the black for the year.”

Scalf said studies show that of $100 spent locally, $68 stays in the community.

“We want people to keep that in mind when you’re looking for olive oil or soaps,” she said.

The Chamber of Commerce helps coordinate multiple events to encourage people to shop downtown including Sequim’s Hometown Holidays on Nov. 30 (Small Business Saturday).

The event features live music, children’s activities, giveaways and more from 1-5 p.m. at Centennial Place — the northeast corner of Sequim Avenue and Washington Street.

Santa comes for photo-ops at 2 p.m. with a tree lighting at 4:45 p.m. Visitors can guess the number of Christmas lights for a chance at a gift certificate.

Sequim Museum & Arts continues its traditional Tractor Cruise right afterward on Nov. 30 with tractors of all types cruising west from QFC to Mariner Cafe.

All tractors are welcome with a rear safety triangle required to participate. For more information, contact the museum at 360-681-2257 or sequimmuseum@olypen.com.

For more information chamber activities, contact 360-683-6197 or visit www.Sequimchamber.com.

Elk on a Shelf

Along with Hometown Holidays, chamber staff encourage locals to look for an “Elk on a Shelf.”

Participating businesses in Sequim host an elk from Nov. 30-Dec. 24 for children up to 15-years-old can visit stores to receive a stamped game card.

Once they’ve collected 15 stamps, they can drop cards at the Sequim-Dungeness Chamber of Commerce, 1192 E. Washington St., for a chance at one of four raffle prizes in four age groups.

Winners drawn at random on Dec. 27.

Special place, special time

Sequim is known for its scenery and small town feeling and in recent years it’s been noticed for its shopping opportunities, too.

USA Today continues to take notice of Sequim in its 10 Best Reader’s Choice Awards. In 2017, Sequim won “Best Northwestern Small Town,” and it was recognized for its retailers in 2018 by taking third for “Best Small Town for Shopping.”

Sequim was nominated again for shopping this year along with “Best Small Town Cultural Scene” from a panel of travel writers and bloggers.

Sequim’s retailers remain diverse from box store retailers to mom and pop shops.

This Thanksgiving weekend, some businesses open late on Thursday and others earlier than normal on Friday in hopes of bringing in perspective shoppers.

Some hope Small Business Saturday bring people in on principle rather than shopping online.

Kathy Reid, store manager for the Co-Op Farm Garden, 216 E. Washington St., said they’ve tried opening early morning specials on Thanksgiving weekend and only saw a few people come in.

“We do our own thing,” she said. “We just hope that loyal patrons will come in and shop with us. We have a lot of customers that come in that try us first and prefer to shop at a hometown local store.”

As a special for customers on Thursday, Dec. 5, Reid said they’ll offer a special gift to their first 50 customers from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at its Christmas Open House. They’ll hold a drawing for a gift card and offer discounts on toys and Hallmark items.

With the addition of Hallmark to the Co-Op, Reid said it’s drawn a new clientele into the store along with its regular customers. A portion of the store has felt like Christmas since July, she said, because that’s when Hallmark reveals its Keepsake ornaments.

More stores are getting in the Christmas spirit too like Decorate with Panache, 154 W. Washington St., with glistening trees and reindeer on their roof and Christmas items throughout the store. Assistant Manager Davene Work joked that since they’ve decorated it feels like they are a Christmas store that sells furniture.

They, like many other local businesses, participate in the First Friday Art Walk and will be part of the Habitat for Humanity’s Holiday Tour of Homes on Dec. 6-7. For more information, visit www.habitatclallam.org.

Thanksgiving weekend openings

Editor’s note: Many businesses maintain regular hours over Thanksgiving weekend. To announce if your business is changing its hours for the holidays or anytime of year, e-mail editor@sequimgazette.com or visit the Sequim Gazette’s office at 147 W. Washington St.

Thanksgiving, Nov. 28, openings:

• Safeway, 680 W. Washington St. remains open 24 hours. Pharmacy closed.

• Walmart, 1110 W. Washington St., remains open 24 hours. Pharmacy closed.

• QFC, 990 E. Washington St., closes at 6 p.m. Thursday and reopens at 5 a.m. Friday. Pharmacy closed Thursday.

• Sunny Farms, 261461 U.S. Highway 101, open 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday. Nursery closed.

• Rite Aid, 520 W. Washington St., open 8-5 p.m. Thursday. Pharmacy open 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

• Walgreens, 490 W. Washington St., open 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday. Pharmacy closed.

• JCPenney, 651 W. Washington St., open 2-11 p.m. Thursday and open 6 a.m.-10p.m. Friday

• GameStop, 1400 W. Washington St., Ste. 107, open 3 p.m.-10 p.m. Thanksgiving and open 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday.

• Ulta, 1065 W. Washington St., opens 5 p.m.-1 a.m. on Thursday and 5 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday.

• Michaels, 1085 W. Washington St., opens from 6 p.m.-midnight on Thursday, and 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday.

• Ross Dress for Less, 1055 W. Washington St., open 6:30 p.m.-midnight Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-midnight Friday.

Special Black Friday, Nov. 29 openings:

• Coastal Farm & Ranch, 990 E. Washington St., Building A, open 5 a.m.-8 p.m.

• Big 5 Sporting Goods, 171 Alley Road, open 5 a.m.-9:30 p.m.

• Petco, 1205 W. Washington St., open 7 a.m.-8 p.m.

• Office Depot, 1235 W. Washington St., open 8 a.m.

• Goodwill, 680 W. Washington St., open 8 a.m.

• Dungeness Kids Co., 163 W. Washington St., open 9-5 p.m. Friday, 9-6 p.m. Saturday, and noon-4 p.m. Sunday (with Sundays open noon-4 p.m. through Christmas).

• Costco, 955 W. Washington St., open 9 a.m.-8:30 p.m.

Small Business Saturday, Nov. 30:

• Sequim’s Hometown Holidays, northeast corner of Sequim Avenue/Washington Street, from 1-5 p.m. with Santa, live music, activities and prizes, tree lighting and tractor parade.

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.

Kathy Wiemann of Arvada, Colo., walks through a festive Decorate with Panache while vacationing in Sequim with her husband Paul. The downtown Sequim store is one of many to decorate inside and out for the holidays.

Kathy Wiemann of Arvada, Colo., walks through a festive Decorate with Panache while vacationing in Sequim with her husband Paul. The downtown Sequim store is one of many to decorate inside and out for the holidays.

Assistant Manager Davene Work counts Decorate with Panache’s inventory of Christmas balls hanging from the festive store’s ceiling. Work joked that since they’ve decorated it feels like they are a Christmas store that sells furniture. Sequim Gazette photos by Matthew Nash

Assistant Manager Davene Work counts Decorate with Panache’s inventory of Christmas balls hanging from the festive store’s ceiling. Work joked that since they’ve decorated it feels like they are a Christmas store that sells furniture. Sequim Gazette photos by Matthew Nash