With Retail Forecast Up, Maple Grove Store Good Things Hopes for Happy Holidays
With just a few weeks to go until Christmas, the rush is on to find the perfect gift. And what better place to go to find good things than, well, “Good Things?”
“Good Things is my favorite store when I don’t know what to buy for someone,” said Sheri Bennett, a shopper from Brooklyn Park.
Good Things is a small, family-owned business at the Shoppes at Arbor Lakes. It specializes in unique gifts.
Those unique gifts help to explain why business was steady on a Thursday morning.
“I’m getting ideas for my great-grandchildren who have everything, but they don’t have some of these things,” said Bennett.
The selection of items you won’t find anywhere else is one of the reasons why Good Things survived the pandemic, while many other small retailers did not.
“The pandemic was brutal on small retailers,” said George John, a marketing professor at the University of Minnesota.
John says retailers are expecting a record year. The National Retail Federation expects a growth in spending of 3 to 4 percent over 2022. That means consumers are expected to spend roughly $966.6 billion.
Good Things has been a tenant at the Shoppes at Arbor Lakes for 20 years. It’s located at 12139 Elm Creek Blvd in Maple Grove.
However, John says the overall situation is still murky.
“There are things that are looking good, and there are things that are not looking good,” John said. “You know, inflation is coming down, but interest rates are high. And for every number you can pick on the positive side, there’s a negative number. So there is a great deal of uncertainty.”
One thing that is certain is that 85 percent of retail sales still happen inside of a store. But, retailers have to give people a reason to come inside.
“We survived solely because of the customer service that we provide,” said Teresa Klettenberg, the store manager of Good Things. “It’s kind of a lost art at this point in time.”
This time of year, Good Things isn’t having any issues with getting foot traffic.
“It’s keeping us busy. Things are flying out the door,” Klettenberg said of the holiday shopping season.
The hope is that with stellar customer service and a wide selection of products, that Good Things will, in fact, have a merry Christmas.
“Good Things is always a good place to come,” said Bennett.
Related: The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes’ Newest Addition: Beehives
