If you’re a procrastinator like me, the clock isn’t ticking (yet) when it comes to holiday shopping. If you don’t mind rushing around with a pit in your stomach and the creeping dread that you will have to settle for something rather than find the right thing time still is your ally. That leaves people who are done or nearly done and people who are winding up to the big finish. If you fall into that category, Berlin is the place and now is pretty much the time.
The town’s merchants are holding a holiday incentive aimed at getting people out and about in Berlin, which isn’t that tough a sale to begin with. Walking from the Visitor Center all the way through the town presents tons of quality opportunities to find or figure out what you’re looking for.
A Christmas (shopping) story
I recently was near the Salisbury Mall and, just for a second, wondered whether there was a big event there because of all the Christmas lights. For the first time in five or more years, I remembered that they sold stuff there and that people really still went Christmas shopping there. It occurred to me that since discovering downtown shopping as it exists in towns like Berlin all over the region, I’ve considered shopping at the mall, “quaint,” like listening to baseball on the radio.
Walking along Main Street in Berlin, and down the side streets as well, there are a ton of different shops worth peeking in and popping in. For that experience alone, the town is worth the trip in the coming week. There’s an incentive, though, for people who can get out to Berlin before the weekend, and if you can many of the merchants will make it worth your while.
Win the Window
The promotion is called “Win the Window,” and the way it works is simple enough. Shoppers get one ticket for every $10 they spend. The tickets are like raffle tickets Ticket holders can use the tickets to enter to win the items in the window of any of the stores by turning the ticket in to that store. According to the Berlin Main Street Merchants Association’s description of the event, tickets will be limited to 10 per person per business and the promotion ends Friday at 3 p.m.
More information can be found at the Main Street website or by going into the shops, which are worth the visit with or without the incentive.
