Christmas shoppers in the marketplace for home decor and more toured several open houses Saturday afternoon as downtown businesses coordinated their holiday sales events.
For a “wooly good time,” shoppers could visit the Mary Rose Collection and watch carded wool be spun into thread by John Gibney of Prairieland Herbs in Woodward. Knitting and felting were also demonstrated amid the many unique gifts at Mary Rose.
“Everyone’s welcomes to stop in for some Swedish Vetebröd (cardamom bread) and lingonberry jam,” said Mary Rose Nichols of Adel, owner of the Mary Rose Collection.
The open house continues Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. at 1215 Warford St., with hot cider and holiday treats. Drawings and giveaways also await some lucky Mary Rose shoppers.
Just around the corner, the recently opened Scottish Fox welcomed customers Saturday at 1118 Second St. The store specializes in new, used and repurposed furniture and accessories for the home.
Cherlyn Miner of Perry opened the Scottish Fox — named in honor of her Scottish grandfather — in November and said business has been steady since then. She was assisted with Saturday’s large crowd by her sister-in-law, Cynthia Miner, and husband, Mark Miner.
Up the block, Betsy Peterson Designs’ open house featured chair making by David Steil of Perry. Using handmade tools of his own creation, such as a carving bench and lathe, Steil has been making furniture for seven years, he said.
Steil said his furniture making was influenced by Roy Underhill, the first master housewright at Virginia’s Colonial Williamsburg reconstruction and host of the long-running PBS series, “The Woodwright’s Shop.”
Holiday folk art fits the whimsical mood at Betsy Peterson Designs at 1121 Second St., a point made Saturday by another featured open-house artist, the children’s author and illustrator Sue Cornelison. Her book, “Whim,” was among several available. The open house continues Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
Right across the street, the new owners of Stitches in Time at 1203 Second St. have decked their halls and filled their shelves for the holiday shopping season. The store specializes in antiques, collectibles and bargain items.
Ann and Billy Montague of Woodward, who took over the business last month, said they are still accepting applications from vendors looking to sell goods on consignment in their remodeled basement showroom.
Farther up Second Street, a pillar of Perry’s retail home-decorating trade was also open at 1221 Second St. for Saturday’s holiday shoppers: Ben’s Five and Dime, a longtime and well loved presence in downtown Perry, owned by Jan and Jay Pattee.
Perry High School senior Juana Cisneros and junior Paige Peitzman were on hand and stepping lightly as customers sought a wide variety of items from the stores’ almost infinite inventory.
“We’re selling a lot of Christmas decorations,” Cisneros said. Ben’s will be open Sunday from noon until 4 p.m. to serve the needs of retail shoppers in downtown Perry.
