Ocean City merchants spruce up stores for shoppers
OCEAN CITY — Christmas is in the air, especially in downtown Ocean City where local businesses are decking the halls and making sure that they are fully stocking up for customers to shop local this holiday season.
Lynne Cates, owner of Sun Seekers women’s boutique on Asbury Avenue, said it took her team three days to transform the store into a winter wonderland equipped with wreaths, garlands, moving reindeer and ornaments galore.
“We have a system, everything is marked,” Cates said with a laugh.
She explained that after many years of decorating Sun Seekers for the holidays, she, her husband and her employees have it down to a science.
“We collect them over the years just to find the right stuff. We made some of them, glued them together, like these garlands,” Cates said, pointing to the sparkling ornament on the ceiling. “People come in and they’re like, ‘Oh, my god!’ When they look up and they see the decorations.”
The owner said the city has always been supportive of local businesses but especially so during the holiday season, when there is so much to do.
“They (city leaders) do a great job. They really promote our city and do a lot of events. They really keep [local businesses] going,” Cates said.
To prepare customers for the harsh Northeast winters, Cates said she has ordered some new winter garments so that customers have options to feel cozy and festive.
“In the wintertime we like to get everybody excited for the holidays, and they need something for holiday wear, and it’s fun. We try to get gifts and things like that to get people to shop local.”
As a courtesy, Cates said, Sun Seekers will gift wrap every purchase upon request. Free gift wrapping is always a holiday perk and “the men just love it!”
Another downtown business that has sweet perks is Rauhauser’s Own Make Candies at 721 Asbury Ave.
Rauhauser’s is gearing up for the holiday season by churning out more candy than usual to keep up with the demand.
“Christmas is our second-busiest season, so we’re about to get knocked out,” Debbie Lombardozzi said.
Lombardozzi, who has been working at Rauhauser’s for a decade now, said the inspiration behind the shop’s decor is “candy — because it’s kind of our thing.” Thus, Rauhauser’s is decked out with peppermint sticks, gingerbread people and gumdrop decorations. Also hanging on the wall is a collection of festive plates for Santa’s cookies.
“A lot of people buy them empty, but once in a while someone will buy them full [of candy],” Lombardozzi said.
Also available for sale are hot chocolate bombs, various chocolates sculpted into Santas, turkeys and snowmen. Of course, no Christmas would be complete without roasted nuts, and Rauhauser’s has it all.
Even Sun Rose Words & Music across the avenue is offering Christmas cheer with its holiday-themed products.
“Our holiday catalog came out late this year, so we had to order late and I’m just setting up my holiday section,” said Nancy Miller, co-owner of Sun Rose. “It’s all new, new, new!”
Among the selections are classics such as Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” as well as modern titles such as “An All American Christmas,” which tells stories and traditions from Christmases around the United States.
Not only are there adult seasonal reads, but Sun Rose carries children’s books like “Christmas Sound Book” and J.K. Rowling’s newest kids book, “The Christmas Pig.”
Jayne Leonetti of The Spotted Whale home decor store is excited to show customers all of the new holiday decorations the store has for sale.
“All year we shop for the holidays, so we bring in new products and we find things that are new and different every year,” she said. “We bring things out for Halloween, then we transition to fall and then Christmas.”
The store has a Christmas tree dressed in a myriad of Ocean City-themed ornaments, along with more traditional Christmas decorations. Shoppers can drop by The Spotted Whale to get an ornament that models the famous Longport water tower that smiles back at beachgoers, or simply a classic Santa Claus.
If you want to decorate for Christmas, but still keep the same beach house feel in your decor, The Spotted Whale has an assortment of decorations that can give you the best of both worlds with items such as the throw pillows with whales and crabs wearing Santa hats, or napkins that say “Season’s Greetings” in seashells.
By ELIZABETH LITTLE/Special to the Sentinel