Columbus Main Street will host its annual spring open house downtown Friday and Saturday.
Main Street Director Barbara Bigelow said 16 downtown businesses will offer special sales and promotions from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on those days, and participating retailers will also dress up the event with a storefront window decorating contest. Some businesses will also offer customers door prizes and refreshments, Bigelow said.
“This event is a way to kick off the spring season by showcasing downtown merchants,” Bigelow said. “We have a lot of active businesses downtown, and this promotes our retailers as well as our eateries. Actually, in the past, (the spring open house) has proven to be one of the biggest weekends for our retailers.”
Timelines contribute highly the spring open house event’s success, Bigelow said, with warm weather usually pairing with shoppers’ needing to buy Easter, graduation and Mother’s Day items. By showcasing businesses downtown during such an opportune time, she said shoppers see the true strength of Columbus’ locally owned retail sector.
Fashion Barn owner Homer Beaty said the open house this year fell at the best possible time for his store. A 13-year participant in the open house, Beaty said his women’s clothing store always sees a sales bump during the event. When it falls on Easter weekend, he said, he sees even more customers.
“Good Friday and Easter Saturday are usually two of the best days of our year,” he said. “When (Main Street) has another event to push that, it makes it even better.”
Another longtime open house participant, Zachary’s restaurant of 5th Street, uses the event to attract new regulars, according to owner Doug Pellum.
“It’s a great boost. It brings in a lot of people who have never been here before,” Pellum said. “Once we get them in the door they come back, because we offer a great product at a great price.”
Other participating businesses in the open house are: Ann Davis Real Estate, Beard’s Antiquities, Bella Derma/Organic Day Spa, Bella Interiors, Bliss Yoga, Cafe on Main, Coffee House on 5th, Columbus Arts Council, Hollyhocks Gift Shop, Jennifer Garner Designs, Park Place Boutique and Salon, Part and Paper, Simply E and The Bride and Groom.
For more information on this weekend’s open house, visit columbusmainstreet.com.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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