NATCHEZ — While some Natchez business owners say this Christmas season was average, one first-year shop owner said he enjoyed the experience.

John Grady Burns, owner of The Nest on Franklin Street, said he loved his first Christmas.

“I was very happy, and Christmas season was good for us,” Burns said. “It was a lot of fun. I look forward to it next year.”

Natchez Chamber of Commerce President Debbie Hudson said in the weeks leading up to Christmas, shop owners had reported a slower season, but she hoped it picked up closer to the holiday.

Hudson said she had not yet received an update on the few weeks before Christmas.

For Mary Emrick, owner of Turning Pages Books and More on Franklin Street, the season was about average. She said the store had a better than average November, but it slowed down closer to Christmas.

“Our Christmas season kind of leveled out to average,” she said. “It was OK. I haven’t had time to go over all the figures (near Christmas time), so I’m hoping it ended up better than last year.”

René Adams, owner of Rolling River Bistro on Main Street, said the season was about average. But she added fewer travelers were in town on weekdays because the holiday fell on the weekend.

“I think it affected our outside visitors,” she said.
Burns said he did well selling his Christmas décor as well as some of the food offerings, but the plant selection took the show.

“That is what we promote the most,” Burns said. “The biggest sellers were amaryllis and orchids.”

At Turning Pages, the best sellers both had local connections. Emrick said “Devils Walking” by Stanley Nelson was the best seller, followed by “The Goat Castle Murder” by Michael Llewellyn.

“Both of these books have very high local interest,” Emrick said. “Stanley mentioned to me that sales are going pretty well across the states, both Louisiana and Mississippi.”

The chamber offered a new program this season with Think Natchez First. The holiday season promotion aimed to entice people to try shopping first in Natchez before going out of town or online for goods first by providing coupons.

Adams, Emrick and Burns all participated, but only Adams had a few people actually bring in coupons. Adams said she thinks the program is a good idea, but the chamber and merchants needed to work out the kinks.

“I am definitely in support of it,” Adams said. “A lot of people just didn’t know about it. I think we have to get the word out better.”

Hudson said she’d listen to business owners’ experience with the coupons and suggestions for the program and consider retooling it when the chamber offers the program again.

“We’ll do anything to help market businesses,” Hudson said. “I think it was a good start.

“I think we need to be more accountable, and I don’t mind trying again. We’ll start earlier and see how we can expand it in various ways to make it bigger and better.”