KELSEYVILLE >> It may not be a bull market, but residents came out of the woodwork here to splurge on Small Business Saturday because nothing stirs confidence like the local neighborhood.
Sophie’s Day Spa just hit its 4-year anniversary and while her previous business focused on facials and make-up, she is now scooping up sweet profits with custom made ice cream and chocolate truffles and other delights as she transformed the former Wild Hurst Tasting room into a cozy parlor for sampling the best in delicious treats.
“We just brought out our Holiday truffles and swapped our ice cream for seasonal product,” said Sophie Sells, proprietor. “Our ice cream is amazing, all hand-made from Ft. Bragg and you can special order it and they promise not to sell it to anyone else. Our main one is Sophie’s Sparkle, a strawberry Champaign with white chocolate ribbon and edible glitter.” But what is so special about shopping local?
“I absolutely love it, because I was born here and so were my parents, ” Sells said. “And everybody likes how warm and welcoming it is here. We’re big talkers so when I ask our regulars, ‘how’s it going’ it’s a good ice breaker. Despite taking over the former Wild Hurst Tasting Room, her customers did not notice the signs and the first year were expecting wine. But never one to miss a business opportunity, Sophie’s Day Spa is now stocking Lake County Sauvignon and Lake County Malbec. “I think it’s important businesses are staying open later,” she said. “I love the weekends because when the shops open later, people stroll around and instead of a pub crawl, they do a shop crawl.”
Across the street at Oak where they feature women’s clothing, the tag line is: all ages, all sizes and that means children too. Owner Caitlin Andrus will mark her fourth anniversary in the space next spring. “Black Friday was our best ever, including the Pear Fest, which is usually good,” she said. For Friday, the promotion was, buy one, get one free and Small Business Saturday, was buy one, get 50% off. “Throughout the holidays, we’ll have two $15 sales racks,” she said. And by Saturday the support she had from customers was palpable she noted.
“We have Christmas in the Country next Friday with the light parade and that’s super good,” she said. “Everyone from all over the county shows up and the holiday spirit is awesome. And the support of small business is huge because of the small community.”
At the Two Sisters, customers can browse among antique furniture, China, old pottery and vintage glassware. “We just bought a beautiful desk from the 1800s from somebody going out of business, Tina Kingsley, co-owner said. “Black Friday was very nice; lots of people visiting their families here and they want to take them on a tour of Kelseyville because it’s so cute, and they bought lots of stuff. We hope it’s an omen for the rest of the season.”
Customer, Patricia Engalla arrived from Calistoga with her toy poodle, Kola. It was her first time in the shop and was passing by, when she thought she must see it. “I like to look at pretty things, she said.” I bought a hand-carved, hand-painted gourde, just to inspire me at work.
Specials for the weekend included 25% off everything the store. And actually, the sisters got a jump on the competition the day before Thanksgiving. “I said to Robin (co-owner sister) might as well start it now,” recalled Tina. Their goal is not to earn enough to take a vacation to Tahiti. They consider their home a vacation where they can grow their pumpkin, tomatoes and squash. “We don’t have the best soil, it’s too much like clay, she said. “But we’re raising chickens and we put their drippings in the compost pile, and it all helps to grow the vegetables. And we take their eggs and sell them at the store. We got the best price, $5 a dozen, when down the street they want $8.”
At the shop called Maker they focus on local made jewelry, pottery, candles and skin care products and on the same block, another shop called A and H, provides pantry supplies with a twist, noted owner Sabrina Andrus. At her Maker address, discounts include buy one and get one half off while at A and H customers get a grab bag of stocking stuffers with every $20 spent.
Small Business Saturday is a great way to kick off the official holiday shopping she explained. And she offered a thank you to all her customers. “It means everything to us,” she said. “Beyond the positive financial impact, which is much appreciated, every customer to me is a reminder to keep our downtown vital.”
