Shopping

When was the last time you ate at Sbarro's in Frontier Mall? It possibly could have been your last bite from the Italian restaurant, a mainstay and favorite of many in Cheyenne over the years.

Are you braving the land we call "Returnland" today at the mall or big box stores? Christmas has passed, and now comes retailers' last chance to make the mark for the holiday shopping period.

This past weekend, the stores in Cheyenne were not that busy...which pretty much mimics the rest of the nation. I was in several key box stores and you could roll a bowling ball and not hit a single shopper (not that I would though....).

From Frontier Mall to Wal Mart and every Del Range place in between, the stage is set for the final holiday shopping blitz before Christmas this weekend in Cheyenne.

Snow-covered streets and bedlam mania temporarily deterred holiday shoppers from getting out during part of this past weekend, but some retailers reported heavy customer traffic by Sunday as well as optimism for the rest of the year. And, just remember, most retailers are open no matter the inclement weather...

Seems as though every year, there’s the must have toy that every kid desperately wants, causing misery for parents everywhere, who are now under pressure to get them that “must have” for Christmas! We’ve gone through the Cabbage Patch craze, the Beanie Baby frenzy, and who could forget Tickle Me Elmo and Furby? But much to my surprise, outside of maybe a new Play Station or Xbox, the biggest “must have” this year is (drum roll please) nothing! REALLY? You mean there’s nothing we parents have to stand in long lines, preparing to go to toy stores that have turned into literal battlefields, ready to claw and scratch are way to get that must have item?

I'm sure if you were on Facebook at all during the week of Thanksgiving, you saw friends sharing a post about boycotting Black Friday Thursday. In an effort to get more shoppers, more funds, and more stock out before the Christmas holiday, an awful lot of big box stores opened on Thanksgiving.

Are you in the mood for some home-baked treats or hand-made crafts? It's time for the annual Winterfest Craft and Bake Sale at the Knights of Columbus, 507 West 28th Street, until 6 p.m. on Friday, November 22, and Saturday, November 23, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Are you a bookworm looking to increase your reading library? The Laramie County Library is holding a Fill-A-Bag Sale on Thursday, November 21, from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. in their Book Sale Room. All proceeds help out library programs.

Do you like to shop at all the holiday arts and crafts fairs and bazaars? During the fall months, a lot of churches and organizations host sales as fundraisers and give shoppers a chance to buy homemade gifts, decorations and other goodies. The Holy Trinity Catholic Church Golden Harvest Bazaar comes up on Saturday, November 16, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the corner of Hot Springs and 18th Streets.