How A Local Business is Prepping for a Tough January

January is usually the most volatile time of year for retailers, as people return and exchange gifts, use their gift cards, and make new after the holidays purchases. Some experts are predicting that we may be heading for a recession, and it couldn’t be potentially coming at a worse time for local businesses, as it is the end of their fiscal year. At Cedar and Threads in downtown Alpena, they’re working their way through and getting creative in order to keep customers coming through the door.

“Utilize social media, you know, kind of think outside the box, make yourself as shiny as possible, and by that I mean make yourself as vibrant and as noticeable as possible from the street and for people walking by,” says Griffin James, co-owner of Cedar and Threads.

In a time where the economy may be headed for another downturn and inflation is dropping but still threatens, customers may be a bit fearful in opening up their wallets. This can be harmful for the smaller mom and pop shops.

“When people get nervous with money, they tend to cut off the extra luxuries,” said James. “That’s gift shops, and going out to eat, and that’s the above and beyond, things that people may do. We really see it first, and then it all trickles down, so.”

James has seen tough times like this, and when it gets to this point, he knows the other small businesses in the area have his back.

“A customer may come in here, may not find what they’re looking for, it’s very easy for me to send somebody to a location that I know that they sell it,” he said. “So really I find that it’s going to come down to the business owners to really scratch each other’s back and lean on one another in order to make it through this hard month, these hard months.”

While the coming months may be tough, James won’t worry or get discouraged.

“We will never give up,” he said. “And that’s the kind of attitude you need to have in order to make it through tough times, like now.”