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Show t Wednesday, December 30, 1981 Sun Advocate, Price, Utah 3A Carbon merchants 'positive' despite trends Despite media reports of a national recession, Christmas sales in Carbon County were generally up over last year, a cross section of local merchants disclosed this week. As they counted receipts the week after the Christmas holiday, most merchants said they were pleased with shopper spending. Some, however, said there was a llth-hosurge that pushed sales up over a year ago. It was really peculiar, said Gail Cox, owner of The Gallery, a camera, photo and art supplies store at 79 W. Main St. in Price. We were behind going into the last two weeks before Christmas.. .and then it picked up and put us over the top. two-wee-k, ur estimated Cox his stores Christmas sales would be up 10 percent over last year, which, he said, is pretty good considering conditions. Cox thought the effects of the coal strike last spring were still being felt at Christmas time and people were holding onto their money until the last minute because of the fear of a recession. Max Tolman, owner and manager of Tolmans department store, 55 E. Main St. in Price, said his business was completing an exceptional year. He estimated at least a 35 percent increase in sales this Christmas over last year, as well as for the entire year. The economy here is not hurting, he said. People apparently did not believe they were in a recession, no matter what the media told them. I guess we just had the merchandise people wanted, when they wanted it. Thelma secretary executive Jones, the Carbon County Chamber of Commerce, said the merchants she had talked to varied in their assessments of Christmas sales. Some were up and others but most she added, down, reported increases over last year. of Reports of increased sales, however, were not surprising in view of the economic growth Carbon County was experiencing in the national energy boom. Mrs. Jones thought sales because of this should have been even better. Good weather in December hurt us, she said. It allowed people to take long shopping trips over the mountain instead of doing their shopping locally. If only that big storm had hit a couple of weeks earlier. Yet, basically the merchants are saying it was a good Christmas season for them. Yes, we were pleased with the results, said Michael Bennion, assistant manager at J.C. Penney Co., 78 E. Main St. in Price. We consider this year to be up over last year, which was also a good year. Bennion said people were more inclined to buy soft goods like clothing for Christmas presents during a recession than durable goods like cars and appliances, which require financing. I think its been slower this year, said Louise Davis, manager of Sweetbriar Shops Inc., a womans clothing store at 3 E. Main St. in Price. Because of economic conditions, I dont think people are spending as much... and because of good weather, we lost a lot of business over the hill. In Helper, A1 Veltri, owner of Veltris Rexall Drug, 124 S. Main St., described his Christmas sales as soft, not as good as last year. It may have been good for others, but not for me here in Helper, Veltri said. The druggist said he uses Christmas candy sales as an index for holiday business. This year, his candy sales were down. We usually sell boxes and boxes of candy at Christmas time and have to right after the holidays for Valentines Day, he added. This year, we have enough left over so we wont have to do that. Post Christmas shoppers browse in a downtown Price variety store, some taking advantage of end sales, others returning gifts for different sizes or other reasons. Local merchants generally agree sales were "good" during the before Christmas rush, but not as good as they should have been in the growing Carbon County economy. t re-ord- er i Helper 's $1.4 million LDS stake center ready for services HELPER Regular -- Carbonville Second church wards begin a services are now being held in the new $1.4 million LDS center stake 150 at Ridgeway. Final inspection was held two weeks ago and the building was turned over to the Helper Utah Stake, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-da- y Saints. The edifice was initiated Sunday when the Helper Ward held the sacrament meeting portion of church services there. The Helper and the schedule of regular church services in the new building this Sunday. Carbonville Second Ward meets at 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Helper Ward services are at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Both wards begin their services with priesthood and Relief Society meetings followed by Sunday school and sacrament meetings. A New Years Eve dinner and dance will be held at 7 p.m. in the stake center for all members of the stake who are 16 years old and older. There are about 775 members in the Helper Ward and about 400 in the Carbonville Second Ward. The stake is comprised of members in Carbon County south and west of Price. Bishop Paul R. Tabone of the Helper Ward said members of the community will be invited to an open house at the stake center tentatively set for Jan. 9. i i Register now for quilting classes 60 North 100 West i i Price $ |