Credit to Violet Newton

Inside the Cozy shop with numerous types of clothing on display to get ready for the holiday season. The store offers items from candles to sweatshirts. Every season of the year they try to deck the establishment with delightful scenery.

Statistically, small businesses come across more hardships than the typical business. According to the New York Times, around two-thirds of small businesses do not make it to year five. In this economy, shopping small while also being more expensive isn’t always the most convenient. A small business can keep only so much stock of different items and sizes before they are just losing money. Lydia Crespo owner of Both Main Street stores Chuck and Lou and Cozy shop along with owning another business online and doing collabs ranging from Target to Paramount to Urban Outfitters. Back in 2020 she was looking to open a retail store, so she started with Cozy Shop and in early 2024 she opened Chuck and Lou.

“Main street is beautiful,” Owner of Cozy shop and Chuck and Lou on Main street, Lydia Crespo said. “It has organic traffic, which means the revenue is going to be a little bit easier than what it would be if you just had a regular clothing brand, where you have a lot of money at the end of the year but at the beginning of the year you are dry again, so I was looking for something with some sustainability.”

Cozy Shop is a marketplace for other vendors to sell their items out of a storefront. This helps multiple other small businesses that maybe can’t afford a physical store or don’t have the time to do so with making more revenue, especially during the holiday season where the business sees an exceptional increase in revenue and foot traffic because of the community of Main Street.

“We make about 10 to 15 times more in the last three months than we do all year,” Crespo said. “It’s really a significant jump, that has to do a lot with the season and the Christmas Traditions. They are making a reason why people come down to Main Street and support the Main Street area because the community loves it so much.”

Once things with Cozy Shop started moving, Crespo started really listening to their customers and incorporating some of their own ideas as designs in her shop. Giving the customers the designs they want and making more money doing so. Alison Brightwell, a customer to Cozy shop and a Librarian in the Parkway district, loves shopping at Cozy Shop for various gifts during the holidays for friends and family.

“I really like locally made items and thinking of specific people that would fit them while shopping,” Brightwell said. “I also love Cozy Shops’ location. It really adds to the atmosphere and appeal for me. Plus, I love the historical aspect of Main Street.”