A New Year Means New Inventory, Which Means Great Sales!

It's a New Year Downtown and that means a lot of our shops are in the process of getting new merchandise.  New inventory means they will be trying to get rid of the remaining old inventory.  You know what that means? SALES!

Wanda Hicks, owner of Estate Treasures is currently at market for new jewelry!  If you have been following my posts, then you know how much I love the jewelry from Estate Treasures.  To make room for the new pieces, all their jewelry is up to 50% off.  This sale will last through the end of January.  Not only are they getting in new jewelry, but they have recently gotten in new furniture.  Erin, the store manager, is in the process displaying the new furniture.  Erin gets pretty creative when she works on the displays.  She currently has a black and blue window display that I love!

Avenue Seas's owner, Christine Stringer, is also at market in Atlanta buying items for Spring.  Be sure to shop the store soon for new arrivals and seasonal gifts and decor.

If you follow Accents Home Decor and Gifts on Facebook, then you will know that they are asking their customers what they would like to see in the store.  This means, they will be getting in new inventory very soon.  Currently, they are having a 20% off store-wide sale, except for their Christmas items.  All of their Christmas items are 50% off through January.

Have you been into Franci With an Eye lately?  They have rearranged the store and it looks great!  They too have a major sale going on.  The more you purchase, the better of a deal you will get.  They also have a new year-round Christmas section.

Friday Night, Dance Life Dance Studio will be having Latin Night starting at 10pm.  On Saturday, 6pm to 10pm, they are hosting the Animal Rescue Center's "Step to the Rescue" Charity Dance.  Advance tickets are $15 and will include dance lessons, dance demonstrations, food, beverages, a wine tasting, door prizes, and a silent auction.  Live music will be provided by Martino and Tirado.  Tickets are available at www.adoptbay.com or at the Dance Life Dance Studio, 415 Harrison Avenue.

Every Saturday, Millie's has live music provided by East Bay.  Be sure to check them out for a night of great food and great music with great people!

Be sure you Shop Local, Dine Local, and Play Local in 2013!

Get your Christmas shopping done Downtown!

Our Downtown businesses have so much going on this month!  With the Dickens of a Christmas events taking place, our merchants will be open late with special promotions taking place. 

No Regrets Stationery and Gifts will have 25% off all in-store merchandise just for the three nights of the Dickens of a Christmas event.  No Regrets has many unique gifts that are perfect for gift exchange games, stocking stuffers, children, and football fans!  If you have not ordered your Christmas cards yet, No Regrets says December 15^th would be the deadline to order to ensure they reach everyone you want to send them to before Christmas.

 Accents Home Décor and Gifts has their entire store 25% off all through Christmas! This means discounts on their jewelry, scarves, and home décor.  Who doesn’t like to get jewelry for Christmas?  A mega sale is going on this month at Rachel’s Dress Shop.  They have 75% off a rack of dresses, 50% off all Amanda shoes, buy one get one half off all Tru Luxe jeans, and buy one get one half off all Tia Christmas blouses.  This is a great place to go to for your perfect holiday party outfit!

While you are enjoying all the Christmas activities, be sure to stop by Avenue Sea to warm up with some spiced cider, hot cocoa, or mulling wine.  Avenue Sea will have special promotions to help you furnish last minute items for your table tops or for gifts!  They have a great selection of wine to pair with your holiday meals as well. 

I love the jewelry at Estate Treasures!

If you are looking to buy jewelry, Estate Treasures is the place to go.  For the Christmas events, they will be having a huge jewelry sale with up to 50% off!  This is definitely one sale I will be taking advantage of.  Keep in mind that jewelry is a fabulous stocking stuffer.  There are many other shops, such as Sugar Britches, Bees and Buttercups, and the LH Bead Gallery, that will also be open late for the Dickens of a Christmas event nights and will have special promotions just for those three Friday Nights.

In celebration of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (William and Kate) expecting a baby in the summer, Willow's British Tea Room will have their Royal Afternoon Tea 10% off for the whole week!  Be sure to stop by and enjoy a spot of tea.  Don't forget, Thursdays are Senior Citizens days at Willow's, so all Seniors will receive 10% off their entire ticket.

When you have finally shopped until you drop, stop in to one of our fantastic restaurants for a delicious meal.  Or, have dinner before you shop so you will have enough energy to shop until you drop!  Whatever you decide to do, make sure you do it Downtown and have a very merry Christmas!

Black Friday and Small Business Saturday

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  This is one busy week for everyone, stores included! One of the most exciting things I have to tell you about is there is a NEW  store in Downtown Panama City!  This new store is "Bees and Buttercups" gift shop located at 306 Harrison Avenue.  Bees and Buttercups is a cute shop with handmade gift items such as jewelry and pottery.  Their grand opening will be Tuesday night (tomorrow) from 5pm to 8pm.  For a sneak preview, you can visit www.beesandbuttercups.com.  Be sure to stop by and welcome them Downtown!

There are also some great Black Friday/Small Business Saturday sales happening!  No Regrets Stationery and Gifts is having a Black Friday Sale on Black Friday (of course) from 9am to 11am.  All of their in-store merchandise will be 50% off!  They have great children's books, collegiate wear, stationery, and more!

Estate Treasures will also be having a Black Friday/Small Business Saturday sale! They will be having a three day estate sale at their store (500 Harrison Avenue).  It is a combination of three family estates and most items in the store will be on sale as well.  You can find sales up to 50% off!  They will be open Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 8am to 4pm, and Sunday 12pm to 4pm.  Be sure to stop by and see what treasures you can find!

To help you wind down from all the Black Friday craziness, Millie's is hosting a Wine Tasting from 6pm to 8pm on Black Friday.  While you enjoy the tasting, you can enjoy the music of Martino and Tirado.  If you find a wine you like, you can purchase it by the glass or by the bottle!  All Millie's asks of you is to give a $5 donation to the Animal Rescue Center or Salvage Santa.  What a great way to give to a charity!

Also happening this Saturday is "Winterfest" from 4pm to 10pm.  Activities will include craft vendors, retail vendors, food vendors, a chili cook-off between the Downtown restaurants, a live band, and kids activities.  Be sure to bring your lawn chair to watch a collegiate football game on a 20' inflatable screen and to watch the Boat Parade of Lights, which should pass the Marina around 5:40pm.

To stay up to date about everything that is happening in Downtown Panama City, 'like' the Downtown Panama City Facebook page!


I hope you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving and remember, Shop Local, Dine Local, and Play Local!

Take Part in Some Classes Downtown!

Ahhh….I love this cooler weather!  It actually feels like Fall!  Make sure you get Downtown and enjoy the crisp air!  There are quite a few classes you can take part in this week.

On Tuesday, October 30^th at 5:30pm, Avenue Sea is hosting another one of their wonderful classes.  The theme for this class is “Pardon me, but you’re in my seat.”  This is “a class on social graces and designs to keep you sane, happy, and still maintain your best hostess title.”  You must make reservations for this class, so please give the lovely ladies at Avenue Sea a call at 850-215-7542.  If you can’t make it to the class, be sure to stop by sometime soon because “it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” at Avenue Sea!  They have such beautiful displays that you don’t want to miss!  The ladies at Avenue Sea can help you decorate your home for the coming season, no matter what your budget is. 

Dance Life Dance Studio knows how to have a ghoulishly good time!  On October 31^st (Halloween Night) from 7:30pm to 10:30pm, Dance Life is hosting a Halloween Bash.  Be sure to come dressed in your best costume to dance the night away to live music from Muddy Rudder!  It will be a fun night with unusual food, smoking drinks, creepy music, and dancing!  The party doesn’t stop there!  On Friday, November 2^nd from 9pm to 11pm, they are hosting another Latin Night! Visit www.pcdancelife.com or call 850-215-4453 for more information.

If you stop by the LH Bead Gallery on Saturday, November 3^rd at 10:30am, you can make earrings and at 1pm, you can make a basic bracelet!  For the month of November, if you buy three strands of the beads that are $6 and under, you will get one strand free! This offer expires November 30^th.

You’ve seen the latest trend on jewelry that women are wearing, the Mariana jewelry.  Accents Home Décor and Gifts has the largest inventory of Mariana Jewelry in the area!  These pieces make great gifts (it’s not too soon to be thinking about Christmas)!  At Accents, not only can you accent your wardrobe with beautiful jewelry, but you can accent your home with beautiful décor!  You can visit their website, www.accentshomedecor.net to get a preview of everything they have to offer.  Be sure to stop by their store located at 428 Harrison Avenue to start your Christmas shopping!

On Saturday, November 3^rd at 7pm, “Love Me Again” will be hosting the First Annual Charity Vintage Fashion Show at 229 Harrison Avenue.  Admission to this event is a donation of non-perishable food items which will be donated to the Panama City Rescue Mission, Catholic Charities, and the Humane Society Thrift & Gift Shop.  Before this event, there will be a Wine Tasting at Millie’s at 6pm.  This is a fun way to give back to the community, especially with the Holiday season approaching!  For more information, contact Lynda Holland at 850-960-6130.

Also, this Friday, November 2^nd, is the LAST Friday Fest of the season! There will be a fireworks show at 8pm.  They best view is in front of the Martin Theatre, facing 4^th Street.

Get out and enjoy this crisp, cool air and remember: Shop Local, Dine Local, and Play Local!

Great Things are Happening!

It's hard to believe it is already the middle of October!  The last two weeks have been filled with festivals such as Friday Fest, Hogs and Grogs, and Oktoberfest.  It is only fitting for the Fall season to have so many festivals going on.

Willow's British Tea Room has some exciting new things going on!  They have new hours of operation which are Tuesdays through Saturdays, 11am to 7pm.  They also have a new extended menu which can be viewed at www.willowstea.com.  Beginning this Thursday, every Thursday is Senior Citizen day.  Seniors will receive 10% off their bill.  Whether they purchase a full meal, or just a cup of tea, they will get the 10% off!  I love it when restaurants try new things!

Though we have just started having fall-like weather, Christmas is beginning to arrive at Avenue Sea.  Their theme this year is the "Magic of Christmas" featuring Mark Roberts.  Be sure to stop by and see how they can help you decorate your house and "shop the Magic of Christmas."  On October 30th, they will be hosting another FREE class where you will learn about social graces and designs to keep you sane, happy, and still maintain your "best hostess" title.  Be sure to call them at 850-215-7542 to reserve your spot!  Avenue Sea recently held a store-wide 40% off sale and they wanted me to say thank-you on their behalf to all who came by and supported them!

Love Me Again always has a half price rack just outside of their store you should check out.  They also have more merchandise to choose from! Love Me Again is such a cute Vintage clothing boutique, but they have more than vintage clothes.  They also have antiques, purses, shoes, beautiful jewelry, and locally made art!

Dance Life Dance Studio is also hosting a Dance Party on Thursday, October 25th, 7:30-9:30pm!  Singles, couples, and groups are welcome!  Be sure to stop by the studio, or give them a call at 850-215-4453 for more information.

Do you have a child that is in the school band, or do you want to learn to play a band instrument, but don't have the instrument?  Leitz music has all of their band insturments 50% off on their website, www.leitzmusic.com.  Also, on October 24th, they are having their semi-annual closed door sale.  It is by invitation only, so you can just print out the picture and show it to them at the door!

I hope everyone has a great week and remember:  Shop Local, Dine Local, and Play Local!

Avenue Sea is Celebrating Their Birthday!

You know what's great when a business celebrates its birthday?  Amazing discounts!  This Thursday, Friday, and Saturday Avenue Sea is celebrating their 4th birthday with a 40% off store-wide "Birthday Blow-Out Celebration!"  Everything in the store, with the exception of wine, samples, and display items, is 40% off.  So if you've been yearning for something new or have had your eye on something outside your $ comfort zone, now's the time to treat yourself!  Don't forget to shop for upcoming special occasions and stock up on hostess gifts. Help them make room for new holiday items without "breaking the bank!"  To make it easier for you to "shop until you drop," they are going to have extended shopping hours.  On Thursday and Friday, they will be open 10am to 7pm and on Saturday, they will be open from 10am to 5pm.  For more information, call 850-215-7542 or just stop by the store located at 542 Harrison Avenue.

This Month, Estate Treasures is celebrating "National Oyster Month" by offering 20% off all their oyster plates and shrimp cocktail bowls.

This Friday, at 9pm, the Dance Life Dance Studio is once again hosting a Latin Night! It is $10 per person, or if you are a member of the studio, it's free!  It's not necessary to bring a dance partner because everyone at Dance Life dances with everyone!  You can dance the merengue, bachata, salsa, cha-cha, or whatever sizzling Latin dance you want.  You can consider this the "After Party" of Friday Fest!

As I mentioned before, Friday Fest is this Friday, 6pm to 10pm.  Be sure to come Downtown for a night of great music, great food, and great cars!

As always: Shop Local, Dine Local, and Play Local!

Happy Fall!

Aw, my favorite time of year, fall, is finally here!  With the new season come new merchandise, new sales, and perfect weather for shopping downtown.  To set the mood for shopping, stop by Willow’s for a cup of hot tea, or Trigo’s for a cup of coffee (they have Pumpkin Spice!).  For me, coffee, cool weather, and a great book go hand in hand.  Books by the Sea is all the time having a sale going on and have authors of the week where their books are BOGO.  Check out their Facebook page to keep up with the authors of the week and other sales they have going on!

Rachel’s Dress Shop is a one stop retail shop.  She has clothes, jewelry, shoes, purses, and more!  This week, she has a 50% off Fall sale on select racks.  Love Me Again has increased their vintage clothes selection.  They also have handmade art, jewelry, and bath soaps made by locals.

This month is national oyster month and Estate Treasures is celebrating by offering 20% off all their oyster plates and shrimp cocktail bowls during September and October.  They have quite a selection to choose from!  They also have a great selection of jewelry; I have three pieces from there and absolutely love them!

Accents Home Décor and Gifts is offering 15% off all Mariana jewelry.  Be sure to stop by and check them out, they have a lot of gorgeous jewelry, accessories, and home décor. 

Sugar Britches has 25% off all “previously loved” clothes and 10% off all toys, strollers, and baby gear.  They have lots of merchandise to make for a great day of shopping!

Tomorrow Night, 5:30pm to 7:30pm, Avenue Sea is having a party!  The theme for this party is paint and sprinkles.  This is a great chance to see what new merchandise they have and what items are on sale.  I know I will be attending this one!

The Dance Life Dance Studio always has something fun going on.  This past Saturday was the 007 Casino Royale Murder Mystery Dinner and Ball. It’s always fun to get all dressed up, meet new people, solve a mystery, and of course, dance!  If you missed that, then you missed a lot of fun, but the fun will continue Thursday Night at 7:30pm with a Social Dance Night.  Don’t have a partner? No worries! The Dance Life team will be more than happy to dance with you.

Enjoy this fall weather and get out and do a little shopping.  Shop Local, Dine Local, and Play Local!