VAN BUREN — Multiple Downtown Van Buren business owners said on Christmas Eve this year’s holiday shopping season has been busy.
Chapters on Main bookstore and coffee shop was “crazy busy” on Monday, said owner Alison Goodwin. Goodwin said she sold lots of books and store gift cards in the past few days and the independent book store has been well supported, she said.
The shop has been open for 11 years and Goodwin has owned it for the last two.
The bookstore is across from the Christmas tree and lights display in downtown. Goodwin said being across from the display area has been helpful to draw families into the store to buy books, coffee drinks and hot chocolate.
Goodwin said majority of store sales have been books, but people come to the shop to buy Onyx Coffee Lab coffee beans — specifically the holiday blends only sold during Christmas time, Framily and Krampus.
“People wait for the Christmas blends,” she said.
Chapters is the only local coffee shop that uses Onyx beans, Goodwin said. She said the shop has beans on shelves year-round for at-home coffee-makers as well.
Onyx Coffee is based in Rogers. According to the company’s LinkedIn page, the company is award-winning and ships freshly roasted coffee worldwide. Onyx has five locations in Northwest Arkansas.
Attic Treasures owner Daniel Perry said this year’s holiday season has been busier than in years past. He added sales in general were up in 2024 than previous years. The store has a few sales on Christmas Eve, he said.
Perry’s shop sells antiques and new, retail items, such as clothing and seasonings for cooking. Perry said customers usually buy the newer items for holiday gifts, but the store does see shoppers buying antiques for gifts as well.
Perry said he appreciates people shopping locally this Christmas. He said the holidays are a time when people seem to shop online out of convenience, but his shop’s sales reflect more people shopping local this year.
Main Street Mercantile and Main Street Threads owners Tracey Burba and Shannon Gross said they are feeling the support of the local community this holiday season. They said they appreciate community members shopping at small businesses.
Burba and Gross said sales on Monday were good. Main Street Threads had a 40% off sale from Saturday to Tuesday that brought in shoppers.
The store has online shopping through its various social media platforms and ships anywhere in the U.S. Inventory offerings include upcycled, vintage sterling silver items and products from local brands such as Colquitt Bath Co., and Linden and London.
