Area businesses give mixed reports for Christmas sales

Christina Case, floral designer at Unique Designs, works on a custom holiday wreath Wednesday at the store. Owner Lisa Clark-Estrada said the store is always busy during the Christmas season.
Christina Case, floral designer at Unique Designs, works on a custom holiday wreath Wednesday at the store. Owner Lisa Clark-Estrada said the store is always busy during the Christmas season.

For many retail businesses in Fulton, the holiday season brings a needed boost in sales.

Some local retailers reported an increase in sales from last year, others said their numbers were down, and a few found sales to be about even with the previous year.

The Cato clothing store in Fulton reported sales were down from last year. Debbie Blackburn, manager, attributes the decrease to the economy. She said she also noticed that more people were spending cash instead of putting merchandise on their credit cards.

"They were actually shopping within their means," Blackburn said.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.