To the editor:

After a wild eighteen months of so many retail businesses trying to figure out how to navigate our businesses, we received an early and surprising Christmas gift — this past weekend’s Holiday Event.

Thousands of out-of-towners showed up to shop in our town, thanks to the brains of the Bristol Christmas Festival Committee.

My facial service business was radically affected by Covid. I changed my entire operation to an online retail business so that in addition to my beloved services, I had another source of income. This pivot turned out to be a brand new store to house all of the necessary gifts for shipping and making gift boxes within my existing business. I began opening on the weekends just to see what would happen.

I am a little embarrassed to say that I did not know what was going on this past weekend, but I was a beneficiary of the most amazing weekend I have experienced as a twenty-year business owner in our town.

Tourists were here spending money in droves. My little store that came from the darkness of 2020 was like an Apple store all weekend. People were coming in and shopping and spending — people who had never been to Bristol before.

It was great to be open, and I am so grateful for the work of Lori Cruz, Dave Scarpino and the rest of the team. They had the foresight to plan for an event that affirmed the potential of our town when we have had moments where we lacked the surety of our futures in retail.

I know that the very minor glitches with parking will surely be addressed in 2022, and the energy will be even brighter. Thanks also to the Bristol Police force as well. Great job. 

Happiest of holidays, and thank you so much.

Alayne White
11 Constitution St.