An ornament hangs inside Grow Nebraska, a specialty store that sells items made or desinged in Nebraska. Grow Nebraska's Lincoln location only opens during the holiday season, giving shoppers an extra oppotunity to boost the local economy. Photo: Logan Thompson, NewsNetNebraska
Retailers are finally seeing the light at the end of the economic tunnel.
DailyFinance, a Web site tracking business and financial news, reported that retailers sold $314.1 billion in goods during November-a 1.4 percent increase from October and a dramatic 2.2 percent increase from last November.
Retailers in Nebraska are among those seeing increased sales and optimism about the future.
Connie Mahaney, owner of From Nebraska Gift Shop, said customers opened their wallets freely in November. The early-December snow storms put a damper on sales, but Mahaney remains optimistic. "I think we're going to recoup," she says.
Along with selling Cornhusker and Nebraska souvenirs and memorabilia, the From Nebraska Gift Shop spe
cializes in Nebraska food items, particularly gift baskets that Mahaney said are shipped all over the world.
She said the gift baskets are popular year-round, but in December "they're huge."Grow Nebraska, another local Nebraska-based gift shop, is hoping to do better than last year, as well.
Ima Gene Mason, manager of Grow Nebraska, said the store's sales were excellent last year thanks to a visible location within the Westfield Gateway Mall and a push for shoppers to "buy local." "So far this year, sales are consistent (with last year's)," Mason said.
Seth Giertz, an assistant economics professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said the overall economy is starting to level off. "It's been really bad for the past year or two. A lot of problems have come up and adjustments were being made," Giertz said. "Things are looking better now."
Ima Gene Mason, manager of Grow Nebraska, says sales are "excellent," with customers responding well to local goods as well as the store's convenient location. Photo: Logan Thompson, NewsNetNebraska
Giertz said even though things are looking better, things still aren't where we want them."The GDP has actually increased in the past quarter, but compared to two years ago, the situation is still not what we would like to see," he said.
Some stores, though, are thriving thanks to forces that seem to transcend the economy. Anything related to the winning Huskers football team, for instance, is irresistible for some shoppers. "Holiday shopping is going fantastically here," said Terri Brownson, who manages the Big Red Shop.
The Big Red Shop, located in the Westfield Mall, sells all types of Nebraska Cornhusker gear, from sweatshirts and hats to key chains and bottle openers. Occasionally this season, Brownson said the store has seen endless lines."I'm having trouble keeping things in the store!"
Jack Doerr of 123 Systems Solutions helps a customer with her computer. 123 Systems Solutions is a locally-owned shop for refurbished computers and repair. Doerr said despite holiday shopping, business is normal. Photo: Logan Thompson, NewsNetNebraska
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