When the holiday season rolls around, local vendors and businesses prepare their inventory and items for an influx of sales.

The end of the year is decorated with some of the most prominent, family-oriented occasions of the year, proving a challenging and busy time for local businesses and vendors who are often increasing their stock and adding holiday themed items.

Hollow Creek Distillery, located at 112 Rocky Ridge Rd. in Leesville, is a small business selling craft spirits, and it also routinely hosts local vendors to help support them and expand their own event.

“Hosting local vendors has become one way we give back to the community. Since we have a well-known venue with the indoor space and parking needed to host such events, we figure it's a good way to provide somewhere for vendors and their potential customers to meet,” the distillery told the Chronicle. “Essentially we are providing a physical marketplace for some who don't have one of their own and a cool holiday shopping experience for everyone who comes to visit.”

Hollow Creek added that the holidays often pick up for businesses as everyone is looking for their perfect gift. By hosting vendors, it can help residents find high quality, handcrafted items that have a more personal feel.

On top of hosting local vendors, the distillery added that it also carry local products in the retail portion of their distillery, mentioning that the business uses local honey from Bee Trail Farms as part of one of their spirits so it keeps that honey in store.

Hollow Creek typically hosts two big market events a year, one during the holidays, bringing in up to 10 vendors.

“We start with a list of vendors we either already know, have run into out in the community, or who have reached out to us,” the distillery said of how vendors are selected. “From there we try to put together a group of vendors that provide a good variety of high quality products. It's more gut feel than an exact science.”

As a business, Hollow Creek is also subject to the whims of the holiday season. The business said challenges it faces includes whether or not it has enough product and being able to provide the personal interaction and customer service it prides itself on during the busy time of year.

Melissa Spires of local craft business Mel's Creations told the Chronicle that in preparation for the holiday season, she always introduces items  that are different from what she sold the previous season. She also increases her inventory to allow for the abundance of orders that she will receive during the holidays.

She said the holiday boom allows her to build up her stock and save for bigger machines to expand her offering sin the future.

“I think most people who are an artist of any kind look forward to the holidays for the uptick in sales and because they get to introduce new and exciting products,” Spires said. “To me it's all that and it makes me happy knowing that people have a piece of my art that makes them smile.”

Fulfilling the increased orders and maintaining her inventory can be difficult, though, with the general business of life during the holiday season.

“I am forever reminding myself that I need to make time for myself and my family if only for a few hours,” Spires shared. “Sometimes that can be overwhelming especially when you have deadlines and shipping dates and you are the only one who runs your small business.”

“I'm blessed to have a family that understands that I love what I do and that my customers are all  a part of who I am and they are a part that has helped my small business grow to where it is today,” she added.

Tabatha Causey, owner of TLC Sweets, said the holidays are the busiest time of the year for her.

Causey’s business revolves around making custom chocolate strawberries for any occasion, from holidays to weddings. For the holidays, she worked up Christmas designs.

As with the other business the Chronicle spoke to, increasing the amount of supplies she has on hand is key to ensure that she can fulfill all the orders that come in. But she’s grateful for that spike in business. 

“1,000% If it wasn't for holidays, I probably wouldn't have a business,” she said.

Like Spires she noted the business of the holidays outside of her business as a challenge. She has three kids, all in sports, which makes life hectic this time of year, but also makes her all the more grateful for the extra income the holidays provide.

Causey told the Chronicle that while she has done craft fairs and markets in the past, she doesn’t have time for them at the moment. But when she did have time for them, she said craft fairs and markets helped her get her name out there and meet new customers.

“Food and my strawberries are like my love language. It is how I connect with people. It makes my heart smile, just to see all the customers happy and just to make people feel loved,” Causey said. “Wheneveryou get a delivery at your work that you weren't expecting. It just makes you feel loved.”