Lack of snow doesnt slow sales
By GREG STAHL
Express Staff Writer
The skiing wasnt great, but the lack of snow may have helped
north valley businesses fare well for the Thanksgiving weekend and Black Friday, which is
generally considered to be the biggest shopping day of the year nationwide.
Black Friday is so named because its when store owners get out of
the red and back into the black.
"I know [the lack of snow] had an effect on local business,"
Sun Valley Co. spokesman Jack Sibbach said in an interview. "People didnt ski
all day. Most people skied a couple of runs and went into town."
Christen Tippetts, who works at Chapter One Bookstore, said,
"Friday was extremely busy, probably the biggest day weve had since August.
Obviously slack ended for us."
Sturtevants Ski and Sports owner Rob Santa also said business was good
at both his Hailey and Ketchum stores. He said the lack of early snow doesnt seem to
be deterring people from gearing up for the ski season.
"We were surprised we did so well," he said. "There
seems to be an underlying confidence that winter will be here, even if its delayed a
little bit. People are buying a good cross section of gear and apparel."
Backwoods Mountain Sports owner Andy Munter said business wasnt
quite what it was last year but was "still pretty healthy."
"It usually takes snow to get things going," he said of his
store that specializes in backcountry gear and apparel and Nordic skiing in the winter.
Munter is confident, however, that the weather is going to do what
everyone hopes.
"I think the weathers been perfect," he said. "The
storms have been moving through. They just havent hit us. I think were going
to have a good snowy month, and things are going to be great."
In Hailey, the North & Co. clothing and linens store did very well,
owner Roger Fleenor said.
"Business was very good. We were delighted," he said.
He said he doesnt think Hailey and Ketchum are very comparable
when examining the ebb and flow of the tourist economy.
"We dont have slack down here like Ketchum does," he
said. "But, yes, Friday was a very big day. It was up from last year."
In Bellevue, Joanne Branen of Glenns Grocery said the store did
"about the same as last year, maybe a little less."
She said that the Thanksgiving weekend is always busy, however.