I began working at the country store in the fall of 09'. Everybody who came in quickly got to know me as Paul, the go to guy. During my 1st. holiday season, I put together a wonderful window display that really gathered the public's attention. Throughout the year, the different display windows continued to grow and quickly gained interest . Looking forward to the 2010' seasonal holiday windows, I found myself asking how can we add a layer to this year's windows that will really stand out: the answer, hand painted window art that blends the holiday season while highlighting the individual uniqueness of each store.
The Idea of The Holiday Experience was to try to pull the local merchants together and support something different for the holiday season for both the community and the shoppers. So adding a layer of seasonal artwork to the storefront windows seemed like the perfect way to deliver this to the community. What's most appealing about this project is that it really gives more through the holidays and lends itself further into the Winter Season, giving everyone something more and extending it long after the holidays are behind us.
So I thought, if I could rally the neighboring merchants this could really be something new and exciting not just for the community but for all the holiday shoppers that visit this picturesque New England Village. Over the next few weeks I pitched my concept of having a continuous street scape in the storefront windows up and down Old Main Street to the local merchants. The Idea sparked imagination and quickly generated a buzz throughout the town that I haven't seen in years. The Holiday Experience soon emerged and began taking on a life of its own.
To Deliver this, I needed to develop a new marketing tool, something that wasn't already in place. So I came up with the idea that if each store was willing to display a poster board with all the participating business involved in The Holiday Experience, we could be our own advertising/marketing machine. By having each store represent the next, it's a win win situation for all who are involved. As each passerby looks onto The Holiday Experience, hopefully they will visit the other businesses and experience what they all have to offer.
As the concept of The Holiday Experience grew, I realized I needed to extend an invitation to all the merchants in Manchester Vermont. All are welcome and bring a friend, because this year, the holiday window displays found in Manchester Vermont are going to pop like a good bottle of champagne.
