Stone County Christmas Open House

WIGGINS, Miss. – Shoppers will be able to grab great deals and chances to win prizes including a $250 shopping spree in an array of Stone County merchants this weekend.

The Stone County Economic Development Partnership (EDP) and Chamber of Commerce will once again sponsor its Christmas Open House to encourage local shoppers to buy local and to attract shoppers from neighboring communities.

The Christmas Open House is slated for Friday and Saturday, Dec. 2 and 3 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Participating merchants will offer specials to Christmas Open House shoppers. Merchants participating in the Christmas Open House will have signs identifying them to shoppers.

“Our goal is to increase retail traffic in Stone County’s local merchants and provide greater value for those families taking advantage of the Open House,” said Jay Paul Gumm, EDP executive director. “The Christmas Open House will be part of an exciting weekend in Stone County, so we strongly encourage our merchants to participate and folks in neighboring counties to spend some time with us.”

That weekend will see the Wiggins First Baptist Church is holding its “Bethlehem Live” presentation. Also, the Garden Gate Garden Club will have its Wiggins Christmas Tour of Homes on Sunday, Dec. 4.

Gumm said the Christmas Open House will have a new feature that will make the event even more exciting: The Stone County Christmas Shopping Spree. During the Christmas Open House, shoppers will get one ticket for every $10 spent in a participating Open House merchant.

The ticket will go into a drawing that will be held after the Wiggins Christmas Parade, slated for 6 p.m. on Dec. 10. The drawing will take place in Blaylock Park at the foot of Historic Pine Hill. Prizes will include items and gifts certificates from participating merchants and a grand prize gift certificate that can be redeemed in Christmas Open House merchants during the holiday season. You must be present at the drawing to win.

Retailers participating in the Open House and Shopping Spree are:

• Alexander Hardware;
• Animal Care Clinic of Wiggins;
• Blossman Gas;
• DanceTrendz;
• E Salon;
• Hampton Inn & Suites;
• Island Dreams;
• Jack’s Home Improvement;
• Keesler Federal Credit Union;
• Over the Top Ice Cream and Gift Shop;
• Pizza Inn;
• Posh Apparel;
• Sears Hometown Store;
• Subway;
• The Antique Mall;
• The First Bank;
• The Little Country Shop;
• The Pecan House;
• Thompson Wireless; and
• White House Antiques & Gifts.

On the heels of the Christmas Open House, the 2011 Stone County Christmas Shopping Guide will find its way to every mailbox in the county. A service of the Stone County EDP, the shopping guide will include coupons and advertisements from county merchants.

“The EDP is taking advantage of new postal rules allowing for such a mailing to remind local shoppers about the values we have here in the county,” said Gumm. “Also, it is a great way for us to provide value to our member businesses, with affordable advertising sent directly to our neighbors across the county.”

The shopping guide is also available in downloadable form on the EDP’s website. The online version includes links to the websites of advertising merchants, allowing shoppers to go directly to advertisers’ website.

For more information about the Christmas Open House and Shopping Spree, contact the Stone County EDP at (601) 928-5418, or by logging on at www.stonecounty.com or by following the EDP on Facebook at www.facebook.com/scedp.