Christmas Shopping Season Isn`t As Good to Small Town Shops

Most businesses expected and got huge crowds this holiday weekend. But some small-town stores are struggling to keep customers nearby. The Newport Chamber of Commerce has held a $1,000 shopping spree giveaway. Robert Vanhook at Van Atkins Department store says the giveaway always helps his business. He`s hoping this year is no different, since business has been slow this weekend. Vanhook says the local stores lose a lot of customers to the bright lights of bigger cities like Little Rock, Memphis or Jonesboro. "And the selection in a town like Little Rock or Jonesboro is a lot different than it is in a local town. We don`t have near as many stores, and we can`t give them the selection," said Vanhook. Since so many different businesses contribute to and participate in the $1,000 giveaway, Vanhook says it helps all of them with advertising, something especially hard for small town businesses. A Newport City Councilmember says they also encourage customers to shop around town first. If they can`t find what they`re looking for, then they should take their money down the road.