Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Horsing Around: Isabella Maccino, 4, of Willow Glen took a rocking horse for a test drive at Founder's Day. She was one of about 30,000 shoppers who came out for the weekend.
Retailers started holiday season with boost from Founder's Day
Proceeds from festival help fund other holiday events
By Kate Carter
It may seem as if summer is just ending, but Willow Glen businesses are already gearing up for the busy holiday season that unofficially began with Founder's Day on Sept. 9-10.
The two-day celebration of Willow Glen history, complete with a parade through downtown Lincoln Avenue, campaigning politicians, and a variety of street vendors and activities for the kids, was also an opportunity for local businesses to kick off the busiest shopping season of the year.
The weekend festival is sponsored and financed by the Willow Glen Business and Professional Association, with additional funding from the city's Business Improvement District fund and Department of Cultural Affairs.
"We want to see profitability," said Chris Carris, owner of Willow Glen Coffee Roasting Company and vice president of the association. "Otherwise it leaves us cash short and we can't pay for our other events at Halloween and the tree lighting."
In past years, the association has posted a $10,000 profit, making the most money from sales of beer, wine and champagne. Association members say they won't know how much money was raised this year until all the expenditures are tallied. But, Carris said, "the most important thing is to make it profitable for the businesses."
"It's a great opportunity to familiarize the community with your business," said Rhonda Lackmann, owner of Alta, a clothing store. "People who come from out of Willow Glen discover the store."
"The setup was different," she said. "This year, we had some children's games out front, and we didn't have as many people through the store." She said that every year they change the locations of the booths. "It gives everyone a chance to get different people to their stores."
Gracie Willson, who owns Comforts of Willow Glen, said the weekend was a success. "People are in good spirits, very happy. They come and shop, and they come back later."
Some stores kept longer business hours during Founder's Day weekend to take advantage of the extra traffic.
Becky Dowdikan, one of the owners of Little Things, a children's clothing store, said they stayed open until 8:30 p.m. on Saturday during Founder's Day weekend, instead of their normal 5 p.m. closing time. They also opened on Sunday, when they are also usually closed.
Salvatore Falcone keeps lists of collectibles he will buy near the entrance of the "collector-friendly" shop he owns with his wife, Barbara. "People will come in and look at the list, and then a couple days or weeks or a month later, they'll come back with things that I'll buy."
Falcone says that Founder's Day isn't a day for doing much extra business, but for establishing relationships with new customers. "People don't usually come prepared to spend money. But they'll come back for something and say, 'That is just the right Christmas gift for Grandpa.' "
"Founder's Day is the start of the holiday season, like it or not," Carris said, and businesses receive more exposure to potential customers that can encourage them to return. "We want to attract the community outside of our community to realize that we're here and offer what no one else does."
Many stores and restaurants do make more income during Founder's Day. Carris surveys many of the business owners on Lincoln Avenue as a part of his post with the business association. "Most people had good results, although they won't give numbers." He said San Jose police estimated attendance at about 30,000 over the weekend.
Mio Vicino restaurant sold pasta and pizza from a kiosk on the street, in addition to remaining open for regular business. Sean Caldwell, one of the owners, said, "Saturday was good for both lunch and dinner. Sunday was slower. We had twice as much business at Dancing in the Street [event earlier in the year.]" He would recommend that the event be limited to just one day.
Carris said, "Restaurants usually feel that there is a lack of patronage on the second day." The reason? "Everyone is just partied out!" He says a weekend-long event is more impressive and gains more credibility. "The second day gives us a chance to put ourselves on the map."
But not everybody was lining up at the cash registers. Some retailers said the crowds and noise actually kept some customers away.
Said Dowdikan of Little Things, "We had some customers come in and say, 'We'll come back on Monday when we can shop.' "
Willow Glen, California Since 1992
