Shopping close to home: Small businesses stay busy on Black Friday
CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 9 months AGO
Jenna Hildebrand, owner of Love & Lumber in Moses Lake, packages purchases for a customer on Black Friday.
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald
Kayla Hoffer (seated) and Anna Lucero (standing) decorate the Fathom Realty entry on Black Friday for the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Moses Lake’s Festival of Trees, which are on display at the Smith Martin Building, 102 E. Third Ave., Moses Lake.
Anna Lucero decorates the Fathom Realty entry Friday for the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Moses Lake’s Festival of Trees, which are on display in the Smith Martin Building, 102 E. Third Ave., Moses Lake.
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | November 29, 2021 1:07 AM
MOSES LAKE — Business was brisk at small businesses on Black Friday.
The Thanksgiving weekend is normally one of the busiest of the year for Mary Davenport, owner of the Stella & Me boutique in Moses Lake. And Friday afternoon was no exception.
“Excellent,” Davenport said of sales. “Moses Lake always turns out very nice for us.”
It was also busy at The Fabric Patch in Ephrata.
“You know what? Business is pretty good today,” said an employee who only wanted to identify herself as Barbara.
People were chatting over coffee at Mason’s Place, in the Smith Martin Building in Moses Lake. At the building’s Division Street entrance, volunteers decorated trees for the annual Habitat for Humanity of Greater Moses Lake’s Festival of Trees auction. The trees will be on display in the Smith Martin Building lobby; the Festival of Trees will be virtual this year.
Customers were selecting projects to paint at Artgarden Pottery, on a day when owner Laura Mayer hosted a walk-in painting session. Customers looked over the unfinished Christmas ornaments, plates and bowls, called blanks, on display, as they decided what they wanted to decorate.
Shoppers were buying jewelry and clothing at Love & Lumber in Moses Lake. Owner Jenna Hildebrand said many people were doing at least part of their Christmas shopping at the local businesses downtown.
“It (business) has been great. Moses Lake has definitely supported us,” Hildebrand said.
Black Friday also was looking pretty good at The Bookery in Ephrata.
“We’ve had a decent amount of people today,” said Bookery employee Micayla Friend.
Sue Torrence, owner of Sue’s Gift Boutique, was doing some special sales for the weekend and customers were taking advantage.
“It (business) has been awesome this morning,” Torrence said Friday.
ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER
Road projects on hold for Labor Day weekend
MOSES LAKE — With Labor Day weekend dead ahead, drivers will be able to move freely about the state. Most road projects are on hold for the holiday weekend. Nobody will be working on the Hansen Road overpass on Interstate 90, but the lane restrictions that are in effect will continue through the end of the project.
Cost estimates for water source alternatives given to Moses Lake City Council
Protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, efforts are ongoing to keep it self-sufficient
MOSES LAKE — It’s going to cost a lot of money to provide alternative water sources for the city of Moses Lake, but some of the possible alternatives will cost more than others. City officials provided the Moses Lake City Council with costs for various alternatives Tuesday.
Dryer vent cleaning is important -- but often overlooked
MOSES LAKE — Not all the maintenance a house needs is visible. Sometimes a potential problem just goes unnoticed until it causes trouble, sometimes serious trouble. But a lot of potential problems give off warning signs. Clothes dryers often do when they need a good cleaning.