Small business sales are picking up in St. John’s as autumn shoppers seek warm clothing, comfort items and locally grown food. Business owners and vendors described a seasonal lift during a busy Saturday downtown and at the St. John’s Farmers’ Market.
Elaine Sullivan, an artist with the Muddy Hands pottery group, said people come to her products for comfort at this time of year. She runs the group with her friend Rebecca Johnston. Their table at an outdoor pop-up sale held handcrafted ceramic dishware, sculptures and garden gnomes.
“People just have an innate sense of wanting warmth and comfort,” Sullivan told CBC News. She said shoppers look for things that bring them joy. Her account linked the fall season with interest in handmade goods, while nearby shops saw demand for other products.
Small Business Sales Follow the Cooler Weather
At The Doghouse pet store, employee Morgan Burke said sweaters are a major seller in the season. The store carries autumn colors, including green and orange, and sweaters for larger dogs. Burke said customers buy clothing as colder days arrive so they can stay home with their pets.
Burke also said locally sourced moose treats sell throughout the year, with particular interest during hunting season. She called the treats one of the store’s best sellers. Her description pointed to a mix of seasonal clothing demand and a product customers buy year-round.
The Saturday activity came as downtown shoppers wore woolen clothing and carried warm drinks. The CBC report described bustling streets, with seasonal interest reaching pottery, pet clothing and treats. The examples came from different businesses, but owners connected their sales with the fall weather and the products customers wanted.
Similar questions about the pressures of ownership appear in this small business feature. A separate account of a growing company follows Willow Hill Soap Company, while another story examines Canadian small business finances.
Farmers’ Market Vendors Report a Fall Rush
The St. John’s Farmers’ Market also saw a seasonal boost, according to vendors. The fall harvest brought a Thanksgiving rush to produce stalls stocked with ingredients for a meal.
Farmer Wandalee Porter said her onions sold out quickly, followed by her parsnips. She said customers are always looking for parsnips and that she wished she had brought more. Her remarks described demand for specific produce at the market rather than a general sales forecast.
At another table, farmer Nazar Khalif said the boost had a simple explanation: locally grown vegetables taste better. The report did not quantify sales or compare this year’s results with another period. The examples instead showed how sellers described customer interest in particular seasonal goods.
Across the businesses featured, the fall brought customers toward handmade pottery, dog sweaters, moose treats and produce. Sullivan tied her pottery’s appeal to warmth and comfort. Burke described sweater purchases as colder days arrive, while Porter reported that two vegetables sold out. The details offer a snapshot of how St. John’s small business sales experienced the season.
With autumn underway, the sellers’ next opportunity is the continuing seasonal trade described in their accounts. The source reported current customer interest, including the Thanksgiving rush at the market and demand for warm dog clothing. It offered no estimate of how long the boost will last, leaving the businesses’ accounts as a view of sales during the changing season. Read CBC’s report on the seasonal sales for the full source story.