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The Kings Mountain Herald | www.kmherald.net
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
KM retailers: Christmas
sales were solid in 2013
DAVE BLANTON
dave.kmherald@gmail.com
Kings Mountain shop-
pers were in a spending
mood this Christmas season,
according to many local re-
tailers who say business was
at or above last year’s levels.
“It was probably the best
Christmas ever for us,” said
Ken Deal, who with his wife
Virginia operates Ditto Con-
signments on Battleground
Ave.
Deal said he saw a
healthy spike in gift-ori-
ented items right up to
Christmas Eve. In the days
following Christmas he re-
porting selling a higher than
average volume of antique
and used furniture.
At the Roses department
store on Shelby Rd. toys
were a big seller, topping
last year’s numbers in that
category, according to em-
ployees there.
“We had some big sale
days right around Christmas
— just a lot of people with
shopping carts full of stuff,”
said a clerk at the discount
retailer who didn’t wish to
be identified. She added that
the sales of TVs and other
big-ticket electric items
were down slightly from last
year.
“It was a lot of “gift-y”
merchandise,” she said,
adding that the store typi-
cally sees the largest volume
of sales around certain holi-
days, like Mothers Day,
Valentines Day and gradua-
tion time.
Suzy Beard, who owns
Suzy B’s, a gift and novelty
company that recently began
operating inside Ditto Con-
signments, said sales were
mixed this season.
“We had a good Christ-
mas, but it fell off a little
from last year,” Beard said,
adding that candles were
among her biggest movers.
ShopperTrak, which ana-
lyzes retail shopper traffic,
said that in-store general
merchandise sales fell by
about three percent nation-
wide in the week before
Christmas, compared to the
same week in 2012. Traffic
to retail stores — not includ-
ing online establishments —
was dowh more than 21 per-
cent compared to the same
period last year. Analysts
said rainy, wet weather in
large parts of the country
was partly to blame.
Deal said his consign-
ment store has been in its
new location for five weeks
and the new space, which is
about 1,500 square feet
larger than his former space
on Railroad Ave., has given
him more freedom and the
ability to showcase more
merchandise.
Residents reported long
lines at area dollar stores
during the Christmas shop-
ping season, but representa-
tives from the corporate
offices of Dollar Tree and
Dollar General would not
comment on quarterly sales
ahead of earning reports,
which are released in March.
Don’t let old tree
become new kindling
Dry Christmas trees are a
common fire hazard after the
holidays. Here are some tips
on disposing of the yuletide
icon.
If it’s well into January
and you’re still gazing upon
a live Christmas tree in your
living room it’s probably
time to clean house and rid
yourself of what is a well-
known fire hazard.
“When those trees get dry
it’s dangerous because the
pine rosin becomes flamma-
ble,” said Kings Mountain
Fire Department Chief Frank
Burns. Burns said the time to
toss the tree is when you no-
tice the needles fall to the
floor.
“We haven’t had any
Christmas tree fires this year,
but we have in the past,”
Burns said.
He remembers a few
years back when a resident
in the Bethlehem community
kept her tree a little past its
prime.
“She was lighting a can-
dle with a stick match,” he
said. “A piece of the match
caught the tree on fire and
(she lost her home). It
doesn’t take much.”
Looking to dispose of an
old Christmas tree? There
are several easy ways to do
it, depending on your cir-
cumstances.
For most residents of the
city, the easiest step is to put
the old tree on the curb after,
of course, stripping it of any
lights and ornaments. City
workers will treat it as yard
Widowed Group events
The Widowed Group of Greater Gaston area will hold two events this month.
Members and guests will dance to the music of Jim Patterson and “Swing South” of
Charlotte who will be playing music from the 50's and 60's Saturday, Jan. 11. Doors open
at the Gaston Senior Center at 6 p.m. and admission is $8. Food will be served.
On Thursday, Jan. 16, nationally known and locally grown comedienne Denise Thomas,
whose stage name is Gladys Friday, will perform at Gaston Senior Center at Dallas. There
is no admission charge. A covered dish supper will be served and a love offering will be
taken. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Questions about elder care?
Are you caring for an adult? Need advice on what legal documents you need to complete
for 2014? Join Attorney Greg McIntyre at the Life Enrichment Center, 110 Life Enrichment
Blvd., Shelby on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 5:30 p.m. To 7find out. This informational meeting is
free of charge. A free sitter service is also available for individuals with dementia. Sitter
service reservation is required by Jan 14. Call 704-484-0405.
waste, haul it off to a central
facility where it will chipped
up for mulch.
The county dump also ac-
cepts yard waste, such as
leaves, limbs and whole
trees. For homeowners on
large lots, officials say it’s
acceptable to just toss the
tree into any wooded area.
Those who have access to
a private pond or lake may
dispose of the tree by dump-
ing it there. Trees can pro-
vide a good habitat for many
species of fish. But dropping
a tree into a public lake or
pond is considered littering
and may result in a citation.
For more information
about disposal of old Christ-
mas trees, contact the City of
Kings Mountain at (704)
447-8201.
Herndon spokesperson for hotel chain
Jimmie Herndon is fight-
ing cancer and recently he
was a spokesperson for Ex-
tended Stay America, the
largest company-owned and
operated hotel chain in the U.
S.- and the American Cancer
Society- the largest voluntary
health organization in the U.S.
- which announced an un-
precedented multi-year part-
nership through which the
hotel chain will provide |
20,000 overnight stays to can-
cer patients who must travel
from home to receive life-sav-
ing treatment.
“When you are sick with
cancer and taking treatments, your time
should be spent on the many things you need
to do to get well,” says Herndon, who stayed
at the American Cancer Society’s Hope
Lodge in Baltimore while undergoing cancer
treatment. “Worrying and being in a nega-
tive state can hinder your ability to get
well.” Adds Herndon, “don’t give up, help
ity ele
(e-yTa: g
EE lel
kd
Jimmie Herndon
is all around you.”
In 2012 Hope Lodge provided more than
260,000 nights of free lodging to cancer pa-
tients, saving them an estimated $26 million
in hotel costs. To request an Extended Stay
America room, cancer patients or their care-
givers should contact the American Cancer
Society at 1-800-227-2345.
‘Pleasant Memories’ mural dedicated
Members of the Cleveland County Chamber gather for a ribbon cutting of “Pleasant Memo-
ries,” a three-panel painting of nature scenes by artist Clive Hayes. The public art is a me-
morial to the late Mary “Alice” Armstrong, the owner of the popular Cup and Saucer Tea
Room on King Street. Armstrong was struck and killed by a car in May 2011 at her home
near Bessemer City. Joining them are donors to the mural project, members of her family
and church friends from Bessemer City First Wesleyan and Long Shoals.
HE CITY OF
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No. 155
sistance Mistry 8
dog $1000
Dor,
CRISIS MINISTRY GIFT - Mayor Rick Murphrey, right, presents the City of Kings Mountain's
check for $10,000 to the Kings Mountain Crisis Ministry. Iris Frady, Crisis Ministry Director,
accepts a copy of the check representing money budgeted for the Ministry.
Photo by ELLIS NOELL
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