To the editor:

I’m replying to Kristina Clifford’s letter in the Saturday, Dec. 13 Enterprise. Let me share some Christmas history from our business district.

Did you know that our business district used to do something called “Sparkle Christmas”? I have an article dated Dec. 20, 1993. This event was started by Susan Arnold. One Christmas, Susan paid a visit to Corning, New York. She saw a town teeming at night with tiny white lights. Inspired by what she saw, she came home and gathered some fellow merchants, suggesting they do the same thing.

Sparkle Christmas saw participating retailers put white lights in their windows, stay open late and some offered Christmas music and fresh cider in their stores. In addition, the entire business district had white lights everywhere.

Sparkle Christmas went on for quite a few years. Why it was discontinued, I can’t say. Perhaps it was just time for a change.

Fast forward to Dec. 15, 2001. Spearheaded by Dan Sporn, then-owner of Goody Goody’s, he helped raise money to buy new lights and decorations for downtown. White lights were hung in trees, along store fronts, and Adelphia Cable donated the use of a bucket truck. Berkeley Green had lights everywhere. And on the second floor of what used to be the National Army store were either carved nutcrackers or angels. This went on for years, but eventually it died out too.

I understand now we have a “Light Up Saranac Lake” event that we’ve had for some years. Should it be scraped and replaced? Hard to say. Part of the problem is that we have a fair amount of empty stores. It’s hard to get into the Christmas spirit when you see a good amount of “for sale” and “for rent” signs. And why is that?

Today’s retailers face fierce competition from the internet. Why leave your house and shop downtown when you can do it from the comfort of your own home, compare prices and get it delivered? Amazon is a huge competitor, but there are many others. I realize there are many who would love to see our empty stores filled. But that takes money and ideas. And keep in mind, you don’t know if you’re going to make it until you’ve been in business for three years.

So do we need two Christmas tree lightings? That depends. If it brings folks downtown, why not? But the real issue here is filling those empty stores. We used to have a thriving downtown. Where did it go? Internet competition stole some of it. Some owners retired, others closed their doors, unable to sell their business. Will we ever go back to those days? I can remember when we only had three empty stores. Now we have a lot more. Maybe it’s past time to get creative and figure out what we need to bring business back to downtown, if that’s at all possible.

Wendy Foley

Saranac Lake