Spokane companies look forward to a busy Christmas season

Businesses in downtown Spokane are hoping pedestrian traffic from holiday events will help drive sales.

SPOKANE, Washington – The sidewalks in downtown Spokane were full of shoppers on Black Friday. With the holidays only a few weeks away, people set off in search of the perfect gifts for loved ones.

Local businesses need a busy holiday season, according to Downtown Spokane Partnership CEO Mark Richard.

“Well, it matters,” said Richard. “Businesses have been hampered by the lack of pedestrian traffic, etc. People have changed their habits, of course. Lots of people shopping more online these next few weeks is really critical. ”

With numerous events scheduled in downtown Spokane to celebrate the holidays, there is hope that the increased foot traffic will help keep businesses busy.

“I can’t tell you or your audience how important the next few weeks are for all of this downtown business,” Richard said. “You know, they rely on customers to support the downtown retail environment, but there are so many wonderful things to do to make it an experience.”

One of those stores hoping for a busy Christmas season is Uncle’s Games – one of the many local stores in the Liberty Building downtown. The pandemic has caused a difficult time for the game store.

“We really make the most money retailers in November and December,” said Kyle Kemble, president of Uncle’s Games. “Last year was a pretty thin, pretty thin retail year, especially with all that internet traffic, we’re really looking forward to being able to shop in person again this year with no restrictions, and having a strong holiday season is really important to our business. “

Fortunately, Onkel’s Games has seen a healthy amount of pedestrian traffic. With the holiday season already in full swing, stores like Uncle’s Hope Shop will continue to boom as shoppers keep completing their gift lists.

Kemble is also excited to see the upcoming holiday events return – which could be pushing even more people through the doors.

“Of course, the more energy, the better. We love energy, we love being part of a thriving downtown community, ”said Kemble. “We’re excited to see some of these events return. It seems like a great idea to us. We definitely support that. “