Most of the Main Street Sylva Association (MSSA) retailers pledge to stay open until 7 p.m. or later on 4 dates to accommodate shoppers.
Extended hours start on September 22 for WCU Family Weekend, then on October 27 for the WCU homecoming parade downtown. Holiday shoppers will also benefit from extended hours on November 24th (Black Friday) and December 1 to be available for folks coming out for the Sylva Christmas tree lighting, concert, and holiday fireworks.
“We love our retailers and want to encourage them to stay open when we knew the town would be bustling,” explained Laurie Bryson, MSSA President and owner of Balsam Falls Brewing, “These later hours will make our WCU parents and alumni very happy, not to mention our locals who love to support local businesses.”
Retailers who pledged to be open later include Black Balsam Outdoors, City Lights Bookstore, Cotton Leigh Bakery, Dixie & Co., Fusion’s Spa, In Your Ear, Little Cove Bakery, Mountain Flora, Noon, Snake Song, Underground Sylva, and Wild Kitchen.
Main Street Economic Development Director, Bernadette Peters, expressed her appreciation for all of the downtown merchants who work hard to keep consistent hours amidst a challenging staffing climate. “The downtown merchants have been extremely successful at attracting and retaining quality staff, and we appreciate their commitment to stay open longer for our locals and visitors,” said Peters.
For more information on the events associated with these retail pledge dates, visit WCU’s web pages at https://www.wcu.edu/experience/campus-activities/family-weekend/index.aspx
Jackson County Chamber of Commerce at https://www.mountainlovers.com/holiday-fireworks/ for holiday festivities.
