Super Saturday expected to bring more last-minute shoppers than last year to local stores

Nestled on cozy Stockton Avenue in El Cerrito is an intimate, well-curated gift shop, the sort of place procrastinating Christmas shoppers dream about, and a homey coffeehouse where students from El Cerrito High sit next to board members of the Chamber of Commerce on a chilly afternoon.

Both businesses, Jenny K. and Well Grounded Tea & Coffee, are the creations of Jenny Komaromi and Kevin O’Neal, a wife-husband duo who live in the community. The back of the building is an office and a hangout for their son and cat and dog.

But since Jenny K.’s opening in 2001 there has never been a tougher time to be in local business. 

Retail sales in clothing and accessories, hobby, music, and bookstore categories were down in November compared to last year, according to the National Retail Federation. But holiday sales generally are expected to be stronger this year, growing at least 2.5% over 2023. On Super Saturday alone, as this Saturday before Christmas is called, the Retail Federation expects about 157 million consumers will shop — about 15 million more than last year. 

The most popular gifts are clothing, gift cards, toys, books and video games. The average person will spend $902 on gifts this year, according to a Retail Federation survey. 

For Jenny K.’s, holiday purchases account for about 25% of sales.

Inflation remains a sticking point. And fixed costs are up across the board for many businesses, according to O’Neal, who is president of the El Cerrito Chamber of Commerce. Their store’s electricity bill is up 50% even though the business has not expanded, he said. 

Despite the challenges for Komaromi and O’Neal, their sales have risen every year, except during the Great Recession and the pandemic, Komaromi said. To compete with Amazon which is their number one competitor, Komaromi began doing online sales, which now makes up around 8% of Jenny K.’s total sales. 

A big seller for them this year is the $4.99 NeeDoh ball, a squeezable stress-reliever that Komaromi says has sold like “hotcakes” since teenagers found it on Amazon for nearly $10.

Businesses optimistic

Anime Island, selling  manga and anime figurines, opened last year in El Cerrito Plaza. Prices are under $100 for all but a few items, and owner Amy Yamashiro holds gaming tournaments throughout the week.

“This is my favorite place in the world,” said Tiger Martz, a young customer who was purchasing a Naruto-related lunchbox and Kirby plush toy for a sibling. 

Despite what some may think, there is no one type of customer at an anime store, Yamashiro said. 

“People who watched anime in the 1960s and 1970s come in all the time,” Yamashiro said.

She is optimistic about her business’ future. That puts her in line with most small business owners. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, nearly three-quarters say they expect revenues to increase next year. 

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