Online, early shopping helping local businesses in pandemic

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Christmas is just three weeks away and as we get closer, many

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Christmas is just three weeks away and as we get closer, many people are trying to figure out what this year’s holiday will look like.  

They’re also changing the way the shop for that perfect gift. 

Online shopping and early shopping is key this year and it’s not just keeping people safe, it’s keeping businesses open. Cooper’s in Agawam is a holiday shopping favorite. 

But this year is different, the store still looks like a workshop from the north pole, and customers are still greeted by a friendly, warm smile, even if it’s written on a note in a box and not in person. 

“The last couple of years that we had an online presence and we’ve seen it growing, but it shot through the roof this year people are really taking advantage of being able to place an order online and then pick it up instore or do curbside pickup,” said Kate Gourde, owner of Cooper’s. 

Cooper’s has been so busy they’ve transformed their entire break room into a packing and shipping room in order to meet the demands. But, if you’d rather keep the holiday shopping tradition, you can still shop in person at Cooper’s as well. 

The National Retail Federation expects this holiday shopping season to reach record-setting numbers. 

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