Celebrating its small town charm – and whiting out the sales tax– the Montrose Shopping Park is ready for the holidays.

By Mary O’KEEFE

Most businesses across the country will look toward Black Friday, the Friday after Thanksgiving, as the kickoff to the holiday season. Montrose has a slight twist on that: it’s White Friday, still the day after Thanksgiving, and it kicks off the old-fashioned holiday season in the Montrose Shopping Park.

“We call it White Friday for two reasons,” said Dale Dawson, Montrose Shopping Park Assn. business administrator/events coordinator and owner of Mountain Rose Gifts. “One is because we have snow, or fake snow, and the second is we encourage our retailers to ‘white-out’ the sales tax for the day.”

White Friday begins in the morning of Nov. 23 when shop owners open their businesses and ends with a celebration in the evening beginning at
6:30 p.m.

“We close the 2200 block of Honolulu Avenue to Ocean View Boulevard,” Dawson said.

Chairs are placed in front of a stage area at the intersection. The children’s music group “Hummingbird Choir,” part of the Hummingbird Conservatory, starts the evening event with holiday songs followed by the official lighting of the Christmas tree. There will be snowflake-like bubbles shooting from machines attached to the light poles creating a feeling of falling snow in Southern California.

Dawson added his thanks to the efforts of Glendale Parks and Recreation staff that places and secures the Christmas tree at the southeast corner of Ocean View Boulevard and Honolulu Avenue.

When many think of the holiday season, Norman Rockwell’s art may come to mind with small town streets, a horse-drawn carriage and roaming Dickensian carolers. In Montrose that Rockwell image comes to life. On White Friday, the Montrose Shopping Park presents its holiday gift to the community on weekends leading to Dec. 23. Every weekend beginning on Nov. 24 shoppers will find horse-drawn carriage rides along Honolulu Avenue, Santa Claus roaming the avenue and free pony rides for the kids on Saturdays.

After Friday’s celebration comes Small Business Saturday. This is a day founded by American Express in 2010 as a way to support “mom and pop” business owners. According to an online study conducted by American Express, 90% of consumers surveyed said Small Business Saturday has had a positive impact on their community.

GiGi Garcia, MSPA board member and owner of It Takes a Village in the Montrose Shopping Park said she has seen the effects of Small Business Saturday.

“We really do [see a difference]. People have been very supportive. I have been here six-and-a-half years and people do focus on going to all their favorite shops,” Garcia said.

On Small Business Saturday, the MSPA will set up a booth at the southwest corner of Ocean View Boulevard and Honolulu Avenue that will have a spinning wheel where shoppers have a chance to win gifts.

“The booth will be set up from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.,” Garcia said. “It will be similar to what we did for Oktoberfest.”

Shoppers who spend $50 will get one spin, those who spend $100 or more get two spins. The prizes are donated from merchants and, like at Oktoberfest, they will consist of everything from free music lessens to coupons for hair salons and dance lessons.

Shoppers can experience that personal touch by meeting the business owners, many of whom offer discounts and will continue the whiteout of their sales tax.

“It’s a great day to work,” Garcia added.

In La Cañada, Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse plans a full day of activities in celebration of Small Business Saturday. Authors, artists, live music and story times will keep shoppers busy from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse is located at 1010 Foothill Blvd. For details, visit the website www.flintridgebooks.com or call (818) 790-0717.

The Montrose event on White Friday is free to attend. Music begins at 6:30 p.m. with the tree lighting at 7 p.m. The Small Business Saturday booth is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit www.shopmontrose.com.

  Mary Okeefe