Macon businesses unite for Holiday Shopping event, new Macon Christmas Market

MACON, Mo. — Businesses in Macon are coming together to celebrate the holiday season.

Several locations will be participating in the Holiday Shopping Downtown Macon event.

Every Thursday the businesses will be open from 5 to 8 p.m., allowing residents to shop at the stores later in the day.

“People here are used to shopping with them pretty much, but [this] gives them an opportunity to come in after work to shop, which maybe they don’t always have that opportunity to do because the stores are not normally open in the evenings,” said Sharon Scott, Macon Chamber Area of Commerce Director.

Something new this year is the Macon Christmas Market, which will be at 105 Vine Street.

The market will have 30 vendors from all over northeast Missouri, Thursday through Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m.

“This gives them an opportunity to get their name out and gain new customers and clients, and then some of the customers or some of the vendors that we do have are present with us in Macon County with brick and mortars, it just helps increase their foot traffic,” said Macon Small Business Owner Kayla Hartung. “No matter what we do, if we have more people downtown, it’s a win for everyone around the block as a whole and the community as well.”

During this time while residents are Christmas shopping, area businesses are hoping to remind residents to shop locally, adding that your dollar stays home when you buy from your local mom-and-pop shops.

“When you buy something on Amazon, only $0.06 comes back to your community when you shop local,” said Christine Hartline, Macon Small Business Owner. “$0.58 on the dollar comes back to your community. So it’s so important to shop local.”

This isn’t just a time for stores to sell their wares, all the businesses in the area are working together to help build up Macon’s downtown.

They don’t view themselves as competition but as fellow residents looking to help build up their community.

“Macon is a really unique town,” said Macon Business Owner Caleb Shoush. “We get comments all the time on how well we work together. So it’s a really nice to see everybody support us.”

“It’s just not one business downtown, it’s several of us working together and that’s what Macon downtown [is], working together to make it better,” said Macon Small Business Owner Tyena Bealmer.

Shopping small makes a big difference and Macon County residents are doing their part to help their fellow community members.

The Macon County Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a parade on Friday night at 6 p.m.

The Macon Market will also be having photo opportunities, crafts for kids and a chance for kiddos to meet Saint Nick every Saturday until Christmas.