HOUSTON – Businesses throughout the Houston area said Wednesday this year’s holiday sales have been strong as consumers returned to brick and mortar stores to shop.
“People are coming in,” said owner of Mod Chic Couture in Sugar Land Town Center Ebele Iloanya.
Iloanya, who opened Mod Chic Couture in 2019, sells women’s clothing, including some of her own designs. She said her store has been busy this year, which has helped after what last year’s holiday sales generated.
“We pretty much doubled our bottom line this holiday season,” she said.
Retailers statewide are seeing strong sales this season, according to grocery industry consultant of Texas Retailers Association Gary Huddleston.
“Sales this Christmas season are very good,” Huddleston said, citing increased traffic inside stores. He said online sales remain high, as well.
“Even with omicron, they’re still out and shopping. They’re going to our brick and mortar stores more this year and that’s a good thing,” he said.
Shop owners said the omicron variant of COVID-19 has presented a concern late in the year, but at the moment, those concerns have not affected the bottom line. Iloayna said if anything, she sees more customers shopping with their masks on. She also says that her staff re-steams every garment that’s tried on while regularly cleaning surfaces and other touchable items. She said customers have told her they’re happy to support.
“The sense of pride in supporting a local business and just the fact that we made it through the pandemic,” Iloanya said.
Other business owners agree.
Alicia Gray owns Genara Houston, a specialty gift store in the Heights.
“We’ve been pretty busy this year,” said Gray, who opened Genara in the summer of 2020. Gray says customers have told her special touches from special gifts make a difference.
“A lot more people are coming out and getting things that they were going to gift in person. Not as much shipping,” she said.
Still, Gray said omicron remained on the minds of many, especially considering what the first year of the pandemic meant for small businesses. She said her staff will maintain safety, customers will continue to be asked to wear a mask, and every precaution will be taken to ensure no one gets sick.
That’s important for area small businesses who said they’re fighting through the pandemic to keep their doors open.