How are Renfrew businesses looking back on the holiday shopping season? Well, it depends on who you ask.
Kinsey Maxwell, owner of the In A Bind bookstore on Raglan Street, was surprised by the amount of business she saw during Boxing Week, when she assumed everyone would hole up during their days off.
However, some of her downtown business neighbours were worried by a certain trend.
She also notes a pair of interesting trends among her customers: handmade items were in demand, but they weren’t as keen on bargain hunting as she expected.
The past month and change were part of ongoing experimentation for the downtown bookstore, as they continued their year-long tinkering with hours, products, and even sales in their effort to better serve their customers.
Maxwell can’t argue too much with the results, but she adds that she’s in a different position than other stores along the main drag.
The In a Bind bookstore opened for business in April 2023 and quickly partnered with the Valley Refillery, with whom they continue to share their Raglan Street location to this day.
(written by Kasey Egan)
