By Robin GOLDSWORTHY

Soprano Lily Sumida and mezzo soprano Kate Banks from the Hummingbird Conservatory, under the direction of Tara Wallace, ushered in the holiday season during the White Friday tree lighting in the Montrose Shopping Park. The duo sang favorites, putting the crowd of between 350-400 people into a holiday mood. MSP executive director Dale Dawson took a moment to welcome everyone to the annual event, which was canceled last year due to the pandemic, highlighting several dignitaries present including Glendale mayor Paula Devine and Councilmember Ara Najarian. Montrose Shopping Park Assn. board member Gigi Garcia of It Takes A Village children’s boutique invited the crowd to return to the shopping park for holiday deals plus, beginning on Saturday and continuing weekends through Dec. 19, the chance to meet Santa Claus, ride a horse-drawn carriage up and down the avenue, enjoy live music and, on Saturdays, have the kids ride hand-led ponies.

At 6:15 p.m., Mayor Devine boarded the vintage fire truck that was on hand and began the countdown to the official lighting of the shopping park Christmas tree. Once the tree was lit, Mayor Devine stepped down from the truck to make room for the “jolly old elf” himself: Santa Claus arrived for photos with the folks who had eagerly lined up, ready to make a holiday memory.

The night also provided an opportunity for people to drop off an unwrapped toy into the ABC7 Spark of Love collection bin. ABC7 Spark of Love partnered with Southern California fire departments and Dusty Arroyo of the Glendale Fire Dept. oversees the collection of toys for GFD.

“It’s so important to be able to give to those in need,” Arroyo said.

He said that the fire department provides toys upon request to those organizations that have submitted an application of those in need. These organizations include churches, schools and other groups. Unless specifically asked, fire department personnel don’t go to any homes, but instead delivers the items to the requesting organizations, which then delivers them to those they have identified as needing some assistance this holiday season.

Arroyo, who has spearheaded the collection the past three years, is eager to raise awareness of the donation drive.

It’s a very unique experience to see the need that’s there,” he said. “It really puts things into perspective. It’s very rewarding to deliver holiday cheer.”

The next day was Small Business Saturday – a perfect way to kick off holiday shopping with many Montrose shops offering incentives and other deals. Some offered a discount on purchases; others gave a gift with purchase.

Small Business Saturday was created in 2010 by American Express and is a shopping occasion held the Saturday after Thanksgiving during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year. The goal is to support small businesses by shopping at these stores rather than larger, “big box” stores.

According to Dawson, who owns Mountain Rose Gifts and, with his wife Mary, Revelation Tops, receipts for the day were probably the biggest ever for Small Business Saturday at Mountain Rose Gifts and Revelation Tops.

“It was slamming,” he said of the number of people who visited their shop.

He shared that his neighbor at Twigs & Things also had a robust day.

“She was overwhelmed,” Dawson said. “She had never had a day like that.”

Things weren’t any quieter down the block at Once Upon A Time bookstore.

“We had a fabulous Small Business Saturday/Indies Next event,” said storeowner Maureen Palacios. “We had an increase of both customers and sales over last year by [more than] 40%. We had seven authors who were feted outside in front of the store and we sold dozens of their books. 

“People were in such upbeat and positive spirits, it was quite different than last year. Sales and customers were better this year than even pre-pandemic 2019. Thankfully, we didn’t have any issues with intolerant people who didn’t want to follow our store’s rules.”

In addition to great deals at many of the stores, shoppers from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. could bring their receipts to the shopping park’s popular spinning wheel. The wheel offered winners an assortment of prizes, from products from nearby shops to scrip that could be used in lieu of cash at MSP restaurants and stores. However, by 3 p.m. there were few prizes left as many shoppers had stopped by with their receipts, eager to see what they won.

In La Cañada, Flintridge Bookstore saw a steady stream of customers. Outside on the sidewalk were authors of several types of books, from children’s books to travel books. Inside were people supporting the bookstore finding not only favorite tomes but also homemade jewelry.

Though Small Business Saturday was an opportunity to showcase the diversity of nearby shops, shop owners encourage people to maintain the “shop local” attitude when fulfilling gift lists.

“It’s starting to feel like we’re back,” said Dawson. “And we all need that.”