HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1992-11-25, Page 1Community J_____News______■_____Sports_____B Entertainment
Blyth merchants
get into the spirit
of Christmas
See page 3 j
Old radios,
new business
in Belgrave
See page 6
Brussels Midgets
take tournee's "B"
championship
See page 8
‘Morgan’s Journey’
a fun trip
to Blyth
See page 23
Retailers say slow, slow, slow, not Ho! Ho! Ho!
By Lisa Boonsfoppel-Pot
Local retailers say the recession
still has consumers in its grip as
buyers are keeping a tight fist on
their money.
Of the 14 loc.ll businesses inter
viewed, almost all said pre-Christ-
mas sales are slow.
"It's slow but that's not a sur
prise," says Elaine Scrimgeour,
owner of Remember When in
Blyth. "People just aren't buying."
Jim Wilson, owner of Wilson's
Health and Gift Centre is facing the
same situation. He fears things are
looking worse than last year and is
hoping things will pick up in
December.
Gladys Ellsmore, owner of Coun
try Garden Flowers in Brussels, has
the same hopes as Mr.Wilson She
believes retail sales this season will
be worse than last year but she
doesn't blame consumers.
"Buyers are hesitant but you can't
blame them because nobody knows
what's going to happen in the
future," she says.
Jim Oldfield, owner of Oldfield
Pro Hardware says if the media
would stop harping about the reces
sion, people would maybe spend
more.
"The media's play in the reces
sion is scaring consumers," he says.
He's feeling the effects in his store
with slower sales than last year.
Another business owner feeling
the effect of the recession is Jayne
Marquise of Bainton's Old Mill in
Blyth. "It's slow. We'll be lucky to
sell what we did last year."
She says people are looking for
Sales and Rene Richmond, owner
of Just For You in Brussels admits
that's how she's moving stock.
Signs point to mild winter
Recent weather patterns point to
a mild winter which will negatively
affect next year's summer says
Blyth weather man, Boyd Taylor.
"The recent snowfall left snow
sitting on top of fence posts and in
the crotch of trees and that means
mild weather," said Mr. Taylor.
"When you get wet snow, you can
count on mild weather."
He said the lightning two weeks
ago plus the electrical storm Sun
day night combined with the sight
ing of crows and dew worms on the
soil "makes one wonder if it will be
an open winter."
Thinking about the upcoming
winter makes him recall an old
ancestral saying which goes like
this: "a mild winter damns the
whole summer."
November has had a higher than
normal amount of rainfall. Already,
there's been 126 mm or five inches
of rainfall. Snowfall in November
is 41 cm or 16 inches, close to last
year's level of 42.5 cm.
Looking back over the month,
Mr. Taylor said, "The ring around
the moon at around 10 p.m. on
Nov. 21 lived up to expectations as
a major storm hit the area."
October had a few storms as well
but rainfall was below average,
reports Mr. Taylor. Only 'll mm of
rain or just over three inches fell
compared to the 10-year average of
96.7 mm. There was also 21.5 cm
or eight inches of snow.
"Lack of sunshine made October
a dreary month," he said. Dreary
"I've been selling mostly col
lectibles, as long as they're on
sale," she says. Her store held a
sale in August and she found peo
ple were doing Christmas shopping
early to take advantage of cost sav
ings.
John McDonald, owner of
McDonald Home Hardware Build
ing Supplies in Brussels feels the
same way. He says people have
been buying earlier and that sales
"could be better."
However, some stores are finding
people haven't begun their Christ
mas shopping yet.
"I don't know where everybody
is," exclaimed Ruth Webster of
Websters Clothing in Blyth. "Peo
ple aren't ready for Christmas yet."
She says she trying to be positive
and hopes December will bring in
more buyers.
Glenyce Snell, owner of the Old
Mill just outside of Blyth says it's
much too early to determine how
and if people are spending. Never
theless, she's predicting a great
Christmas season for her store.
Blyth Variety owner, Irene
Thalen, also believes people
haven't really started their Christ
mas shopping yet and says up until
now, "Sales haven't been all that
spunky."
Only two businesses have
reported good sales this season,
they being the Belgrave Co-Op and
the Blyth Festival.
"It's been not too bad at all,"
declares manager Jane VanCamp.
She credits good sales to the fact
people are buying things they need
for Christmas and not spending
money on fancy, frivolous items.
Continued on page 6
days also contributed to agricultural
problems such as farmers trying to
harvest field crops with high-mois
ture content.
Mr. Taylor has been recording
rain and snowfall for Environment
Canada at his RR 3, Walton apple
orchard farm at since 1975.
OPP investigates
daylight theft
Wingham OPP are investigating
a break-in which occurred some
time between 10 and 12:30 a.m. on
Nov. 19 in East Wawanosh Town
ship on Highway 4, just north of
Blyth.
Entry was gained through an
unlocked rear door, a spokesperson
from the police said. Taken was
$6,000 worth of property including
a VCR, two men's brown leather
jewellery cases containing jew
ellery and coins, two ladies jew
ellery boxes, four bottles of
whiskey and half a case of beer.
A neighbour told police of a mid
sized white car driving slowly on
the shoulder prior to the theft.
Police are asking anyone who
notices a suspicious vehicle or has
any information to call them.
Police say this is the second day
light break-in in this area in less
than a month and the third in their
detachment area. The spokesperson
also said that several neighbouring
detachments have had similar inci
dents recently.
Vol. 8 No. 47 Wednesday, November 25,1992 60 cents