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Jan Douglas hangs string lights around shoe displays at Downtown Shoes located on Whitworth Avenue. She is getting ready for Christmas Open House, a 30-years plus tradition where stores and restaurants offer discounts and refreshments to kickoff the holiday shopping season. (Hunter Cloud | The Daily Leader)

Jan Douglas hangs string lights around shoe displays at Downtown Shoes located on Whitworth Avenue last year. She was getting ready for Christmas Open House, a 30-years plus tradition where stores and restaurants offer discounts and refreshments to kickoff the holiday shopping season. (Hunter Cloud | The Daily Leader)

Melinda’s Fabrics and Interior is one of 33 stores participating in the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce Event Saturday. It will run from 9a.m. to 5p.m. (Hunter Cloud | The Daily Leader)

BROOKHAVEN — Downtown Shoes owner Jan Douglas hung string lights around her displays as she prepared her salesfloor for the Christmas Open House. Brookhaven’s 30-plus year tradition returns Saturday with 33 stores participating in the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce Event. 

Participating stores and restaurants will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will offer discounts, refreshments and Christmas cheer. Douglas said she is looking ahead to the excitement the day will bring. 

Garrett May will paint her windows to add an outline of snowflakes around the frame. Her Christmas lights, wreath, garland and Christmas tree will light up the store with spirit. 

“I’m excited. It takes me back to the 1960s when window decorations were important,” she said. “I love the excitement of an open house. People are coming in, shopping and talking. This will sound weird, but it is time to visit. The open house is fun. I thrive off of the excitement.”

It will be the second Christmas she has owned Downtown Shoes, which used to be Judy Shoes. She has loved her experiences with the Christmas Open House. Before buying the business, she worked at Beyond the Rainbow and Judy’s Shoes and had experience with Christmas Open House too. 

Christmas Open House is similar to Girls’ Night Out, she said. It helps kick off a busy time of the business cycle and gets customers out to the local shops. 

“Even though this store has been here for 40 years, it makes people aware of hometown shopping options,” she said. 

She hinted there might be pecan pies outside of the store Saturday. 

A few blocks away, Melinda Said and her employees decorated the Melinda Fabrics store and helped a customer. Said is the owner of Melinda’s Fabrics and looks forward to the Christmas Open House every year. 

They sell custom fabric and decor. Her husband builds beds for customers. She said it is not a seasonal business, but the Christmas Open House is fun. 

“It is great for Brookhaven. We like to do it and participate. It’s fun, and hopefully, the weather is supposed to be nice that day. It is hard to decorate for Christmas with the AC on,” Melinda said. “It is just fun. Everyone gets out, and they do it as a family outing. We do it every year and have a good time.” 

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