APPLETON, Wis. — It was a good holiday season for “Casting On” in Appleton.
Owner Sara Rabideau said overall, it was another good year for the yarn store located on College Avenue.
“2023 has been good,” she said. “Every year, we’ve progressively been doing better and better. We have not had a year that’s dipped below the previous year. I’m fortunate we survived the COVID years and are continuing to thrive.”
Rabideau is gearing up for another busy week between Christmas and the New Year, with many people off work and school.
“Typically, this is a busier week,” she said. “Thanksgiving week, the week between Christmas and New Year’s, our anniversary week at the end of January, and the last weekend in April, which is local yarn shop day. Those are our top four weeks for the year.”
This comes as U.S. consumer confidence increased to a five-month high in December, according to the latest report from The Conference Board.
The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index rose to 110.7 in December. That’s up from 101 in November. It’s the biggest month-to-month increase since early 2021, according to the group.
Among the responses, consumers said the likelihood of a recession in the next year has decreased. But two-thirds think a downturn is possible.
Businesses and consumers have faced several economic issues in 2023, ranging from early predictions of a recession to inflation, and higher costs for goods and services, as well as wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.
The latest consumer confidence index shows more Americans are going into 2024 with increased confidence and optimism for the economy, business and job market conditions.
Cali Geschke shares that optimism. She spent part of her Tuesday at the record shop, Eroding Winds, in downtown Appleton. A native of Slinger, Geschke recently landed an accounting job in Chicago after earning her master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.
“I’m still spending money normally,” she said. “I think because I just graduated, having a little lifestyle boost, I’m definitely spending more than I did when I was in college. It’s pretty steady. I do budgets every month and try to keep it at a decent (level), but I’m definitely not decreasing my budgets going into 2024.”
Shopping for others was part of her day after Christmas.
“I’m actually looking for a gift for my boyfriend,” she said. “He just got a record player for Christmas yesterday from a family member, so I might get a record for him.”
Rabideau said she markets and runs “Casting On” with a focus on what will appeal to her customers, not based on wider economic forecasts and reports. She’s looking forward to growing her five-year-old business more in the new year.
“I’m actually hoping to be able to get to the point of being able to hire someone that I can have a little bit more of time off,” she said.