Midnight Madness deals in Burnet attract shoppers to courthouse square
DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR
BURNET — If you’re hunting up a “howling” good time and some additional savings, the merchants on the Burnet courthouse square, as well as others elsewhere in town, are inviting you out to Midnight Madness on Oct. 24.
The shopping event is 6-8 p.m.
“Several of the businesses will probably stay open later than 8 (p.m.),” said Kim Biggerstaff of Dragontails Children’s Consignment on the square. “I think, last year, there were some who stayed open until midnight. We still have some people coming in at 11:30 (p.m.) It just depends on the store. But it’s just a great time to come out and do some shopping.”
Three years ago, Biggerstaff and Dragontails owner Vicki Davidison put together the first Midnight Madness to draw people down to the square for a night of shopping and saving. Last year, the Burnet Association of Merchants jumped in to help.
“It’s grown every year,” Davidson said. “It’s a way to get stores to stay open for a little later. We even have several businesses that aren’t on the square come out and do things.”
Davidson said the idea for Midnight Madness started taking root several years ago when the city did a lot of improvements on the courthouse square. But during the construction phase, many shoppers stayed away and didn’t really come back. Toss on top of that the economic downturn around 2008, and shops on the square suffered.
“But things are turning around,” Biggerstaff said. “People are coming back to the square. Things are picking up.”
During Midnight Madness, stores will stock up on candy for kids who come by to do a little trick-or-treating, but they’ll also offer some special shopping deals for parents.
“Anything we can do for the kids, I think parents remember and appreciate, so they’ll come back,” Biggerstaff added.
“It’s a chance for stores to offer some great deals, people to come down to the square, do some shopping and have a good time,” Davidson added.
There even will be some door prizes and live performances.
For more information, “like” the Burnet Association of Merchants’ and Dragontails Children’s Consignment’s Facebook pages.
daniel@thepicayune.com