Friday, November 21, 2008

TOP STORY > >Open house this weekend

Cabot’s merchant community has been preparing all week long for its annual Holiday Open House, a joyful event which heralds the opening of the Christmas season for area residents and their children.

The open house for most takes place from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, although a few, like Kitchen Island in Cabot’s Village Green Center, will stage its open house beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday. KitchenIsland will have Wheel of Fortune for customers to spin and there will be discounts on many items especially food and drink. In addition to refreshments, there will be door prizes.

For most of the merchants, the formal open house, during which they personally greet customers often with holiday themed refreshments, is the culmination of a weeklong decorating frenzy whose end result is a fancifully decorated shopping community like none other in the area. In tune with the approaching holiday season, merchants prepare to meet and greet new and old customers.

Double R’s Cabot location at 204 N. Second St. is preparing to offer customers a glimpse at the myriad of decorating possibilities for the holidays and will have on hand an exquisite collection of wreaths, garlands and specially selected decor items for which Double R is well known. For the open house, Double R is offering 10 percent off storewide.

Meditation and fitness experts at Yoga You offer a plenitude of gift certificates for those wishing to enhance their quality of life. A beginner’s yoga workshop begins Jan. 5.

Junebugz Apparel and Gift shop, 1904 S. Pine, Suite C, offers free Aromatique to the first hundred to visit on Sunday. The shop also offers free gift wrapping with purchase and a vast assortment of gift ideas.

A Savvy You Salon, 2790 S. 2nd, celebrates its first anniversary of making Cabot residents look their best in conjunction with the holiday open house. To celebrate they’re offering free T-shirts, balloons, makeovers and sample products.

Marty’s, in the Rockwood Center, has everything for the holidays and offers 20 percent off any purchase during Sunday’s event. The store has a plethora of gift ideas and is offering free hot cider and cheeseballs for shoppers in need of a break.

The Furniture Store, 111 S. Adams in downtown Cabot, offers discounts up to 70 percent for holiday decorating savings.
To furnish an entire room, an entire home or just pick up a new accent piece, visit The Furniture Store. There will be refreshments and complimentary 2009 calendars.

Grandma’s Collectibles will have two days of specials including door prizes and refreshments. The shop is located at 311 Kilgore.

The Littlest Cake Shop will have door prizes, refreshments and drawings for discounts. The custom bake shop also prepares dessert and party trays. There will be sweet treats to sample.

The Southside Shoppe at 707 S. Pine offers discounts up to 50 percent on selected items at the antique and collectable shop.

Delectable Creations, a bakery and eatery, invites shoppers to start their shopping experience with their lunch specials and complimentary taste testing of desserts. For one day only, the shop is offering 10 percent off on holiday orders.

Center Stage Playhouse, home of Cabot Community Theater, invites residents to tour the new facility which will be the setting for the “Sanders Family Christmas” performance later this month at 204 N. First St., Suite 2.

Merle Norman Cosmetic Studios, 924 W. Main St., is a setting for some beautiful gift giving with refreshments, door prizes, discounts and limited edition gift sets.

Southern Décor and Hand-bag Express at 1004 S. Pine has a gift-giving assortment of purses, wallets, luggage and lots more.

Petals and Plants at 405 W. Main — a florist, gift shop and candy bouquet — will have door prizes, refreshments and drawings for discounts up to 25 percent on Christmas and 50 percent on fall items.

Cabot’s annual holiday open house is a fitting prelude to the city’s Christmas Lighting Extravaganza at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 downtown in front of city hall.

“Come join us for entertainment from some of our local elementary students, as well as a time of Christmas Carols,” said Karen Davis, the city’s operations director. She says Santa Claus will be on hand to flip the switch and light up downtown Cabot.

She says parents should bring their children and their cameras to take pictures with Santa or while riding the Christmas Express Train. “Bring your family and walk Cabot’s Christmas Wonderland,” she said.