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| A holiday shopping kick-off |
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| News | |||
| Written by Jesse Trimble | |||
| Tuesday, 10 November 2009 08:00 | |||
It’s that time of year again. The season for giving, listening to Christmas music on the radio and cozying up to a fire with a cup of cocoa. For Once Upon A Time, an antique furniture and home accents shoppe, it’s a little different.  Employees of Once Upon A Time, 102 W. Amity St., have once again been preparing for their annual Christmas Open House, which ran from Friday to Sunday. Owners Gayle Marzolf and Amy Bramble, mother and daughter, have been running their business for the last 16 years, and every year Christmas is a big event. For years, customers have come in from everywhere, Bramble said, ranging from locals in Louisburg to visitors all the way from Texas. “Last year we had up to 3,000 people come in within the three-day open house,” she said. The store, which has over 8,000 square feet of space, features holiday decor and gift items ranging from $2 and up. The mother and daughter team said they believe this makes it easier for customers to get something for everyone. The event will feature giveaways, gift drawings and food samples. One familiar face wasn’t seen among the crowd during the event. Buster, the 22-pound in-store feline, takes a vacation from Once Upon A Time for the annual event. Bramble said the cat is very popular with customers, who often take pictures with him. When it comes to the declining economy, Bramble remarked that she had noticed a change in the way people spend their money and what on. She said customers are spreading their spending out instead of purchasing one item for $100. Instead, they prefer to spend $100 on multiple items. She said customers have been requesting Christmas decorations since October, which makes the shopping season last longer for customers. “I haven’t noticed that much before,” she said. Bramble attributes her business holding its own during the failing economy to the encouragement she gives her employees to take the time to get to know the customers. “We have treasured employees here that treat this business like their own,” Bramble said. “They have a passion for it just like we do and that’s what makes it so successful.” In addition to the store, Bramble and her mother also find time to decorate people’s homes and Christmas parties. Lately, the trend has been towards a more urban and clean look, according to Bramble. She added that many customers are now using two or more Christmas trees in their homes, instead of just one. So far, the weirdest request the store owners have seen is for a brown Christmas tree, which neither Bramble has yet to see. In addition to the store’s Web site, onceuponatimeinteriors.com, Bramble has recently launched a Facebook account for the store. “I’m very excited about it,” she said. “I can’t wait to post photos and do more with it once the open house is over.” Both Bramble and Marzolf are very thankful to the community of Louisburg, as well as those who come in from other areas. “It’s very beneficial for the community and if it wasn’t for those customers we wouldn’t be where we are,” Bramble said. She added that both she and her mother are excited for the upcoming holiday season because they truly enjoy helping their customers make their homes warm and cozy for the season.
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