Sue Sitter/PCT Ashley Berg, owner of Main Street Boutique, stands next to Christmas-themed clothing in her store.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Thanksgiving on the calendar, but in Rugby businesses, Christmas sparks the most interest among customers, according to several shop owners around the city.

Shoppers shifted to a Christmas mood Nov. 4, when Rugby businesses kicked off Christmas in a Small Town, a weekend celebration of local shopping filled with bargains and in some stores, treats.

“Of course they’re in a holiday mood,” Ashley Berg said of the shoppers who’ve visited Main Street Boutique. “Either that, or they’re getting there. They’re thinking about how to get their lists ready or what they’re up to for the season, you know, if they have any events coming up between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s also been great to see people here from out of town.”

Berg said Main Street Boutique features clothing from the Liverpool Jeans Company of Los Angeles. Her store participated in the company’s Fall in Love Week in September.

“Overall, it was a great week,” Berg said of Fall in Love Week. “It was new to me and new to the community. So, just getting Liverpool out there, even if someone hasn’t seen (the brand) or tried anything on was fun. Each day had something different, then it wrapped up with the theme, ‘Fall in Love with Your Community.’ And if you know me at all, you know I love Rugby. So that worked out perfectly. That’s where I really loved it.”

“I ended the week by donating $1,000 to the Rugby Convention and Visitors Bureau,” Berg said. “That was my community contribution. We were invited to do something to show that community support.”

Berg added, “Now, we’re flipping over to the holidays. It’s just a great time of year, honestly. It’s fun to see people out and to make sure they’re ready for it, whether it’s with a fun t-shirt that says, ‘Be Merry,’ or a bottle of wine, knowing that Thanksgiving’s around the corner.”

Next door at Cindy’s Country Cupboard, store owner Cindy Brossart was busy chatting with customers about unique gifts such as jars of locally pickled veggies, handmade dish cloths and gnomes.

The gnomes were everywhere in the store.

“I have a gnome tree,” Brossart said, showing off an artificial birch tree with gnomes hanging from its branches. “I also make gnomes for the Vikings, Packers and Rugby Panthers. I have sport gnomes. It’s all new inventory for Christmas, clothing and decor.”

At the Jeneral Store, owner Jennifer Mattson said, “I’m noticing the Christmas spirit here. I have a lot of people in here looking for Christmas items and Christmas decorations. A lot of items are already gone. People are definitely shopping for Christmas.”

Mattson said she didn’t think it was too early to begin thinking about the holidays. “People who really like to decorate for Christmas buy Christmas stuff all year round,” she said.

Melissa Kraft of The Brown Lantern on Highway 2 said she’s noticed lots of shoppers in a holiday mood.

“We had a Christmas open house during Christmas in a Small Town,” Kraft said. “That started getting people in the Christmas spirit and we always encourage people to start shopping locally early before they go out of town.”

“We try to do that by having Christmas in a Small Town. We try to get people shopping locally first. But I think it helped having that and our local stores having Christmas stuff up helped,” Kraft added.

“I noticed with the nice weather until just recently, it was harder to get people thinking about Christmas at first, but now with a little bit of snow, I think they’re more apt to get in the Christmas spirit,” Kraft said.

“I think a lot of people are trying to buy local more and not go really far away from home,” Kraft noted.

Like many business owners, Kraft said she’s noticed a few problems getting merchandise from suppliers. “Sometimes product is harder to get or coming in later, but I think the big box stores are struggling even more to get product in,” Kraft said, noting shoppers have encountered empty shelves in larger stores lately.

Like other Rugby businesses, The Brown Lantern is offering specials on seasonal decor, including discounts on Christmas trees and wreaths.

“We’re talking now about what we’re going to have for Black Friday and Small Christmas Saturday. I hope we’ll be busy with that, too,” Kraft said.