Each year,brstarting with the Black Friday shopping rush, retail sales ratchet upbrdramatically as gift givers step out in force for the holiday season. Accordingbrto the U.S. Census Bureau, December jewelry store sales reach an eye-popping 19brpercent of sales. With Black Friday just weeks away, one Southlake retailer isbrtaking an interesting approach.
Stepping aside from the onslaught of retail buzz,brKeary Turner, owner of Grayson Allen Fine Jewelers in Southlake, plans not forbrthe day, but more for the weeks to come. “This is a really busy and excitingbrtime of the year for Grayson Allen,” he says. “But we are definitely differentbrin that we are actually closed on Black Friday. We let our team take the daybroff to spend with their families.”
There is a method to staying away from the retailbrmadness of the day, and Turner knowingly lets the Grayson Allen staff rest up. “Webrtypically do as much as a quarter of our business in the month of December.”
Despite taking a retail holiday when most stores openbrat the stroke of midnight, the preparation at Grayson Allen starts months inbradvance. “It all starts with hand-picking the store's holiday inventory duringbrthe summer months,” Turner explains. “Then we go a little overboard throughoutbrthe store during the holidays with Christmas trees, decorations, lights,brholiday candles and complimentary treats and beverages for our shoppers. Webralso have extended store hours in order to accommodate our customers' busybrschedules.”
Keeping in touch with the needs of both his staffbrand his customers, the Southlake retailer expects to have a successful holidaybrseason.
Business in Keller isbron the Rise
According to the city's economic development report frombrJanuary through August of 2013, 50 new businesses have opened in the city ofbrKeller. The list includes nine new restaurants, 24 new retail businesses and 17broffices. With continued expansion, the city is also experiencing increasedbrretail sales.
“It's an exciting time to be inbrKeller, and we are looking forward to our continuing commercial growth,” says thebrcity's Economic Development Coordinator, DeAnna Beseda Reaves. “We've had abrnumber of significant projects come online in the past year and several morebrare under construction and currently in development.” According to the city's Augustbr2013 Sales Tax Rebate report, there was a 4.5-percent increase over the samebrperiod a year ago — a positive sign the economy is recovering.