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SCD: Tell us about Miss Cayce’s Christmas Store.
Becky McCraney: It’s in Midland, Texas, and it’s open from the weekend after Labor Day through January each year. My sister and I own the store, and we’ve been in business since 1984.
SCD: Where did the name “Miss Cayce’s” come from?
McCraney: It’s our grandmother’s name. Up until we were married, all of us went to her house for Christmas every year. Her Christmases were so magical and she meant so much to us that we wanted to honor her by giving our store her name.
SCD: How did you get started in the Christmas business?
McCraney: My sister and I were always crafty. Even as children, we made burlap flowers and sold them door-to-door. When we grew up, we started making ornaments and other products and selling them at craft shows. I started working for a couple that had a garden center and were opening two Christmas stores in Midland. When they eventually closed them, I bought their Christmas business. Basically, I was buying a van, a pick machine and some decorations.
SCD: It’s unusual to have a temporary seasonal store in the same location for so long. How did that evolve?
McCraney: For the first ten years, we moved in and out of different locations every year. It was a lot of hassle, but we felt we had no choice because we couldn’t afford to pay rent all year in a year-round location. Then we found this location. It’s a large store in a strip center but it has very little frontage and no visibility, and not much parking. It was a hard-to-rent store but it suited us, and the landlord, a local businessman, has been very nice. The rent reflects the fact that we only do business part of the year. And we save in that we don’t have to keep looking for new locations and advertising them and then moving again. It’s been a win-win for both of us.
SCD: What suppliers do you carry?
McCraney: Pacific Rim Import Corp., Radko, Raz, Roman, Midwest, Adler, Old World Christmas. We sell a wide range of products. We don’t want to be exclusive to any specific economic level. We do 20 to 25 themed trees each year. We also have a large floral design area where we make garland, centerpieces and wreaths.
SCD: What’s special about Miss Cayce’s?
McCraney: We’re a new store every year. Our customers expect us to do something different, and they appreciate it. We spend a lot of time setting up the store, but that’s what we enjoy most. Until we open each fall, our windows are covered in bubblewrap. It lets light in, but it distorts
the view, and when we open for the season there’s a
“Wow” factor.
SCD: How has your business changed over the years?
McCraney: When we got into the business, trees were decorated more simply. Now we’re using ribbons, bows and floral pieces as well as ornaments. There are also more trees in people’s homes: in kids’ rooms and dining rooms and family rooms as well as living rooms. Nothing is too big to go on a tree anymore. And nothing is off limits; there’s red and green, but there’s also leopard-print balls and ribbons. There are no rules.
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