Penngrove Market is a small, relatively new market with a big following in Northern California’s Sonoma County. The store has been open just a little over two years and this will be their third Thanksgiving. Hear from Rebecca McDowell, co-owner of Penngrove Market, about how things are going at the store and what their plans are for navigating the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.

• Sales Trends: Sales have been steadily increasing since the beginning of the pandemic. Initially things were extremely busy and unpredictable. But November sales have stabilized and have settled in close to 40% growth over last year. Shopping seems to have become routine for customers and they are expected to stay loyal through the holidays. We feel strong ties to the community and shoppers are excited for our offerings.
• Product Offerings: It is a little unpredictable of what customers are planning on doing, so we are focused on carrying items that are staples and heavy sellers and ensuring we don’t run out of stock. Pre-packaged products and pre-bagged items will be readily available to help ensure customers they are buying items that haven’t been overly handled by the public. Our kitchen will also be offering pre-orders for pre-made holiday meals as well as many prepared sides in the grab-n-go case.
• Holiday Crowd Control: Our store doesn’t typically experience large rushes many other large stores may have. It’s one of our benefits that our customers enjoy—it’s never chaotic! Curbside pick-up is offered currently and will not be going away anytime soon.
• Plan Ahead: Get ahead of the holiday and don’t wait to showcase what products you’re offering. Customers are planning for the holidays now and taking mental note of what is in stock and pricing. Try dropping prices now to be more enticing. This is a strategy that works well at Penngrove Market.