Martha Reid credits the power of social media for the success of her boutique called Sassy in Downtown Rockport.
“Take advantage of social media,” Reid said.
She’s taking advantage by hosting live chats on Facebook and selling lots of her store’s merchandise on social media sites and the store’s website.
“After [Hurricane Harvey] we knew we had to do something to keep our doors open,” Reid said. “We have been here in this location for ten years, and we had to do something to continue and make another ten.”
Sales aren’t as stellar at Gordo’s Tires and Automotive just a few blocks away from Sassy.
“It’s awful,” shop owner Richard Solis said. “It’s very slow right now.”
Solis says business was booming in the months following the hurricane. Scores of contractors and volunteers were in constant need of patched tires and other auto repairs. That changed a couple of months ago.
“Around November it just stopped,” Solis said. “It’s not the traffic it used to be. There’s no one running around. There’s not tons of cars anymore, and it’s just getting slower by the minute.”
There’s no slowing down the sales at Sassy. Reid says 2018 was the best year for the store financially in its 10 year history. She says sales were up more than 30% from the previous high in 2017.
“We have very loyal customers, and they were fabulous,” Reid said.
