RUMFORD – Neither rain, sleet, or snow – all of which fell Monday – seemed to deter shoppers in the River Valley from stores offering bargains.
John Soucy, owner of Carlisle’s Apparel and Footwear on Congress Street in Rumford, said it was busy, busy, busy on the day after Christmas.
“Today, we were very busy with both exchanges and purchases, and people spending gift certificates. It’s been busier than usual,” Soucy said.
A Fleetwood Mac tune played on the store’s sound system at 2 p.m. while several people shopped. Signs on several racks in the women’s clothing section sported a common theme of 25 percent off.
“We were busy right from the beginning of the day. The Christmas season, overall, has been better than was projected,” he said.
Soucy attributed increased sales to people shopping locally.
“We sold a lot more gift certificates this year than we ever had,” he added.
Customer Jen Dragoon of Peru was at the store Monday afternoon buying clothing with gift certificates she said she got for Christmas.
She and a young man with her said they weren’t worried about the weather because they have a four-wheel drive vehicle.
Next door at Bartash’s and Stella’s gift shops, manager Deanna Kersey of Dixfield said customers were waiting in line outside in the rain when they opened at noon.
“It was very busy,” Kersey said.
“We’re both feeling like we’ve been hit by a freight train. We’re exhausted,” she said of herself and another clerk with her in Stella’s, which opened earlier this year.
Kersey said they began work at 9 a.m. Monday, getting merchandise and discounts ready for shoppers.
“Most people were buying what we had on special. There were a few returns and exchanges, but we don’t usually have a lot. We were equally as busy this year as last year” in December, she added.
Mexico Wal-Mart manager Penny Watson of Mexico said Monday evening that they were busy, also, although business was about the same as last year.
“We had a lot of everything,” she said of shoppers, gift certificate users, and people seeking to return or exchange items.
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