Houlton’s open house weekend is a rousing success

By Elna Seabrooks
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — The downtown merchants in Houlton threw their annual “Holiday Open House” over the weekend and apparently it was a huge success. “Wild” is how Lynn York described it saying York’s Book Store did better business than last year.
    Karen Fitzpatrick, owner of Daniels Florist, attributed the enthusiastic turnout, in part, to the good weather. “People showed up at 11:30 and, of course, I let them in. We had a good steady crowd, it was a nice day and it was one of the best open houses we’ve had.” She also said it was so busy she never had an opportunity to get out to the other stores and shop for herself.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Karen Donato
BUSY SUNDAY — Country North Gifts was bustling Sunday as part of the annual “Holiday Open House” for downtown merchants.
    At Daniels, she said she sold “a great assortment of everything from fresh flowers and plants to Christmas ornaments and wall hangings. People are getting used to going to the open house events. It’s really catching on.”
    York said he, too, sold a bit of everything from cards to a new Houlton coffee mug.  And, he says, he has the cash register receipts to prove it.
    Last year Uncle Willy’s Candy Shop had only barely opened for the open house events, said owner Karen Keber. This year was a different story. Keber said “it went very well. We were very busy and we sold a lot of  Christmas candy, chocolate candy, and specialty chocolates from our display case.”
    Bargain hunters have been cautious nationally leaving retailers in a nervous watch-and-see posture limiting their inventories and slashing prices.
    Houlton’s pre-Christmas boost could possibly be a peek into the national economy that is beginning to show signs of a partial rebound as consumers start spending again before Santa arrives just one month from today.