SAFE SHOPPING

Hot Cocoa Bombs from Granite State Candy Shoppe.
Sarah Pearson
Cobblestone Designs has online ordering and delivery (same-day available in some instances.) Monitor file
Gibsonâs Book Store was founded in 1898, and is the oldest continuously operating retailer in the Concord area. Current owner Michael Herrmann bought the bookstore in 1994, and in 2013 moved it to its current location on South Main Street. GEOFF FORESTER
Christopher Gustafson of Runners Alley looks for products while talking to a customer on the phone at the downtown Concord store on Nov. 13. GEOFF FORESTER / Monitor staff
Gnomes sit on a shelf at Viking House in 2019. —Monitor file
Elf decoration found at Cobblestone Design Company ALLIE ST PETER—Monitor Staff
Rick Talbot working on a custom arrangment at Cobblestone Design Company ALLIE ST PETER—Monitor Staff
Snowman display at Cobblestone Design Company ALLIE ST PETER—Monitor Staff
A window display of multiple snowman decorations can be seen at Cobblestone Design Company, which is always decked out for the season. ALLIE ST PETER / Monitor staff
Cardinal display at Cobblestone Design Company ALLIE ST PETER—Monitor Staff
Front Window display of multiple snowman decorations at Cobblestone Design Company. ALLIE ST PETER—Monitor Staff
Nutcracker statue apart of the front entrance display at Cobblestone Design Company ALLIE ST PETER—Monitor Staff

Monitor staff

Published: 11/26/2020 4:35:58 PM

The pandemic has forced many local store owners to get creative in order to stay open.

For Valerie and David Elliott, who have run A Jeweler’s Workshop on Main Street for more than 30 years, this meant attaching a shower curtain to the ceiling. The clear curtain, which separates the customers from the employees, is just one of the investments the Elliott’s have made to adapt to a new landscape of safety regulations.

“We’re just trying to do the best we can,” David Elliott said.

As New Hampshire nears the ninth month of the coronavirus pandemic, small businesses are struggling. The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce is urging holiday shoppers to order their gifts from local businesses this year to support local shops and stoke the state’s economy.

Here’s a list of some Concord businesses that now offer socially-distant modes of holiday shopping:

Cobblestone Design Company: Offers seasonal floral arrangements, knick-knacks, and home decor. Available for online ordering and delivery (same-day delivery available if the order is placed and received by noon).

Elle and Piper Party Boutique: Offers stationary and holiday party supplies. Available for online shopping.

Gibson’s Bookstore: Offers indie and popular selections of books. Available for online shopping and curbside pickup. Those who are over 60 or who have an underlying medical condition can schedule a private shopping appointment.

Granite State Candy Shoppe: Offers homemade chocolates and ice cream. Available for online shopping (with free shipping on orders of $60 or more) and curbside pick up.

Joe King’s Shoe Shop: Offers a wide assortment of shoes and clothing. Available for curbside delivery and appointments by telephone and email..

Runner’s Alley: Offers running gear and shoes. Available for online ordering, and curbside delivery.

Viking House: Offers European food, clothing, and trinkets. Available for online shopping and local delivery.

Who Doesn’t Want That: Offers mugs, clothing, and bags with unique designs. Available for online shopping and delivery.

How have shopping trends changed during COVID-19?

■36% of consumers are trying new product brands during the pandemic. Large, trusted brands are primarily benefiting from this experimentation, according to a report from McKinsey and Company, a consulting firm.

■About 40% of consumers have reduced spending on nonessentials.

■Sales of hair color were up more than 30% in the second quarter for some companies, according to a J.P. Morgan analysis.

■Makeup sales have dramatically fallen as people stay inside – the beauty market has fallen about 14% in the first half of the year.

■Aerosol disinfectant sales are up 100% this year.

■Nestle, a European Coffee brand, has seen coffee sales increase by around a third so far.

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Teddy Rosenbluth is a Report for America corps member covering health care issues for the Concord Monitor since spring 2020. She has covered science and health care for Los Angeles Magazine, the Santa Monica Daily Press and UCLA's Daily Bruin, where she was a health editor and later magazine director. Her investigative reporting has brought her everywhere from the streets of Los Angeles to the hospitals of New Delhi. Her work garnered first place for Best Enterprise News Story from the California Journalism Awards, and she was a national finalist for the Society of Professional Journalists Best Magazine Article. She graduated from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in psychobiology.