Businesses See Rush of Last Minute Holiday Shoppers

DULUTH, Minn. – With only a few more shopping days left before Christmas, businesses across the Northland are seeing plenty of last minute shoppers.

At Fitger’s Mall, business managers say they have been busy the past few days, continuing what has been a strong season.

Denise Kaitala, a manager at Duluth Kitchen Co. and Market Gourmet, says she has done her best to keep items in her stores for people to buy.  “Our buyers have had to buy a lot of product because we’ll buy something and half of it will show up.  So we just have to do double duty in finding product and ordering enough of it.”

Jennifer Jubenville, store manager at The Bookstore at Fitger’s, says they are having their best year ever.  “We’re selling a lot of books.  A lot of great books have come out this year.  We’ve been talking about a lot of great books.  We have been enjoying helping people find the book that they are looking for, and not necessarily the book that the computers and publishers want you to buy.”

Following last year’s holiday shopping season, which took place just before the COVID vaccine became widely available, managers add they are grateful to everyone who has shopped with them, keeping local businesses open and supporting the communities they live in.

“Right now, I think that’s one thing that the pandemic really taught us is the importance of local and supporting independently owned businesses,” says Jubenville.  “That was certainly a thing.  There were people that certainly knew and understood about Fitger’s, but now there are people that really cherish Fitger’s.”

“Our local customers have been so generous and has just done an amazing job supporting the stores,” says Kaitala,” and we can’t say enough.  It’s almost overwhelming.  I think that everyone wants to make this the best Christmas ever.  It’s just been phenomenal to see families out celebrating together, being together safely, hopefully.”

Businesses at this mall will be open until late afternoon Friday.