Fallon has much to offer for shopping

This year’s holiday season has been great with Black Friday and Small Business Saturday and then with the annual tree lighting and craft fairs almost two weekends ago.

With local retailers reporting good sales figures for the weekend after Thanksgiving and a small surge in consumer confidence heading into Christmas, spending is heading in the right direction, reports the Retail Association of Nevada.

Fallon’s annual Hometown Christmas definitely put people into the mood for buying and giving. The 87th annual Christmas tree lighting conducted by longtime resident Bill Lawry attracted hundreds of children and their parents. The numerous craft fairs on Friday and Saturday, and then again the following weekend offered many items.

Although Internet shopping and traveling to the Reno malls have been strong options for holiday shopping, the Fallon Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Merchants Association and the Fallon Convention and Tourism Authority with its newest Live Local Fallon campaign strongly encourage local shoppers to keep as many of their dollars here in Churchill County for the 2016 Christmas season.

All three agencies are encouraging shoppers to experience the flavor of our area’s many unique shops as well as the national retailers in hopes that people will be able to find the right gift for that special someone.

With monthly taxable sales so critical to Churchill County, every dollar spent elsewhere is one less dollar that benefits the community. For example, according to the county’s comptroller, tax dollars spent in Reno or Carson City are lost to Churchill County. For every $100 spent, $5.26 stays here in Churchill County. Annual taxable sales average approximately $27 million, and if 10 percent leaves the area, $2.7 million, therefore, winds up in the hands of other government entities like those in Carson City and Washoe County.

Although 2016 has been a good year, we tend to live in a world of uncertainty. We can all do our part by shopping in Fallon and supporting local jobs, helping businesses to donate money to charitable causes and reducing our fuel consumption to either Reno or Carson City.

Less than two weeks remain before Christmas, so shoppers have plenty of time to take a stroll downtown and visit the numerous yet unique shops or visit one of the many stores on Williams Avenue.

As with any holiday season, several organizations have been soliciting the community for toys. Every year The Wishing Tree and the Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots seek toys to give to children who may otherwise have a bleak Christmas. The Iron Order Motorcycle Club conducted its annual toy run, and toy donations go to the Marine Corps while cash donations are for the Fallon Youth Club. As we say every year, shop locally this year and, if possible, help either The Wishing Tree or Toys for Tots.

Editorials written by the Editorial Board appear on Wednesdays.