Snow Forecasted
for White Friday!

The crisp fall days leading up to Thanksgiving are filled with anticipation as we go about making our plans and looking forward to turkey day. It’s that time of year when all thoughts lead to home and family as we look nostalgically into our past and try to recreate it in the present. We have so much to be thankful for and Thanksgiving is one day we can set aside to enjoy the annual turkey dinner in the company of those we love.

So many of us remember the days when the focus was on family and being thankful, not big chain store sales. It seems each year the sales come earlier and earlier. The message is leave the family, forget that afternoon nap, and join the fighting hordes to start shopping “now!” for deals, deals, deals.

I don’t know about you, but I prefer the old days. It’s one of the reasons I love Montrose. The Montrose Shopping Park is one of the few places that doesn’t participate in Black Friday but instead celebrates what we call White Friday.

You won’t find our little stores opening at the crack of dawn or on Thanksgiving Day itself. Instead, our small storeowners will enjoy Thanksgiving at home and come to work on Friday rested and ready to greet you with a smile. Shopping is fun and very pleasant in Montrose. We have the real deal, the winding tree-lined street full of one-of-a-kind shops. Many of our stores will have a sparkly white snowflake displayed in their window. This is your signal that we are whiting out sales tax for White Friday.

As a thank you for shopping with us, the merchants of the Montrose Shopping Park have a special treat planned for you, one the whole family will treasure. We are once again pumping in 20 tons of snow to create a winter wonderland for the kids! The snow should be open and ready for the kids to play in by 5 p.m.

We will also have free entertainment. Come hear Christmas music and carols by local music teacher Joletta Boghosian and her students from Play Just Right. There will be 10 local girls ages 7-13 singing from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. with professional keyboard and bass guitar accompaniment. From 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., Joletta and another singer will perform Christmas songs with the keyboard accompaniment. Doesn’t that sound wonderful!? Snow and live carols – but that’s not all.

At 7 p.m., Glendale Mayor Frank Quintero will officially welcome everyone, light the Montrose Christmas tree and kick off the town lighting. As the town lights up with Christmas cheer, snow will be falling from the sky! If you missed this last year, you must make it a point to come this year. There is nothing like seeing snow fall while illuminated by our old town street lamps in front of Faye’s. It is truly magical and will make you feel like a kid again!

We small town merchants who put our heart and soul into what we do we are thrilled with the growing movement to Shop Local and support small stores. The movement continues to grow on Facebook and elsewhere whereby thousands of folks in every city have decided to do all of their Christmas shopping in the one-of-a-kind local businesses that give back to the community. We are blessed to be able to help make a memory for you and your loved ones this year. Thank you for planning to make a day of it in Old Town Montrose next Friday. You’ll be glad you did!

  Mary Dawson