NAPLES, Fla. — Small businesses in Collier County are gearing up for a busy holiday season as shoppers flock to stores in search of deals.
Despite economic uncertainty, some local business owners say they are seeing a surge in customer traffic, with some reporting their busiest holiday weekends in years.
Ed Ibrahim, owner of Men’s Palace at Coastland Mall, says the support from local customers has been overwhelming.
"People come to us because we’re always one-on-one with our customers. We have that family vibe," Ibrahim said.
Ibrahim has operated his men’s apparel store in Naples for over 26 years, selling everything from shoes to custom-fit formal jackets. His Coastland Mall store was one of the few open on Thanksgiving Day, and the holiday weekend proved to be more profitable than expected.
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"Business has been great. Actually, it was surprisingly better than I expected this year," Ibrahim added. "After the election and everything like that, people got out more and started spending more money. We’ve seen a little bit of an increase in traffic over the years, so it’s been great."
Other business owners in the area are hopeful for even more customers as the season picks up in Southwest Florida, with holiday spending expectations reaching upward of $989 billion across the U.S.
