Rhinestone’s Boutique is one of the many stores that lines the Denton downtownsquare. The shop has been in business for nearly a year and half. Even though the economy is down, sales are surprisingly up. In fact, the boutique has already surpassed their holiday sale projections.
“We’re up by 10 to 20 percent. We’re above what I had anticipated being,” said Kathy Warren, owner of Rhinestone’s Boutique.
Warren attributes Denton’s ‘recession free’ status to the city’s “small town feel” and her shops’s location on Denton’s downtown historical square.
“I think that a lot of North Texas and mayvbe even the whole state of Texas has been cushioned, said Warren. “There hasn’t been as many layoffs or house foreclosures. It seems people have expendible income here,” added Warren.
Just a few stores down sits McNeill’s Appliances. They’ve been in business for nearly 80 years. Virginia McNeill in shadow of the Great Depression and has seen the highs and lows of America’s economy.
“I was born in 1934 and heard about the depression all my life,” said McNeill. “But this might be as close to as it as I’ve ever lived, but I believe we’ll make it alright,” added McNeill.
Caty-corner from the appliance store is Ruby’s Diner. Ken Willis, owner of Ruby’s Diner and Beth Marie’s, says sales are up over last year by 20 percent.
“Being homesyle, we’re more of a comfort food,” said Willis. “I think our prices also help, and we’ve been doing a lot of catering,” he added.
Willis said he’s been doing a lot of direct marketing. Meaning, looking in the phonebook and contacting businesses asking them if they’re interested in catering. So far, it’s been working.
He also said that he gets quite a bit of business just by shoppers and out-of-towners dropping in for a quick bite to eat. The diner’s chicken fried steak is a top seller. Maybe it’s those southern smells of home cookin’ that attracts people from the square’s streets into the diner.
