Holidays already impacting business

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - It seems everywhere you look is a sign of fall, which means the beginning of big business.

"We're certainly rebounding well this fall because the rain has come back, the temperatures have cooled off and that makes a tremendous difference on the mindsets of our customers," The Apple House Co-owner Ryan Cummins said.

The Apple House prepares year-round for one of its busiest times of year, ordering their merchandise a year ahead of time.

"We try to offer all kind sort choices in horticulture year-round and fall is an exceptionally good time to be planting because the weather conditions are a little bit more favorable," Cummins said.

The Apple House said the economy hasn't helped business the last few years.

"What we have to sell is things that people buy if they feel comfortable with their financial situation," he said.

Now, numbers are looking good.

"We're hoping that folks will start to feel more comfortable and start to look at the some of the products that we have available to make their life a little bit better."

On the north end of Terre Haute, Kadel's Hallmark started preparing for their big season in June.

"Right now it's crazy, we had 140 boxes come in two hours," Kadel's Hallmark Owner Sue McCallum said.

This winter, the economy is helping business.

"We just had a pre-holiday open house last weekend and for the first time in four years, we were actually up," McCallum said.

They even hired a couple employees.

"We've actually hired for the holidays instead of picking up our own extra hours so things seem to be improving a little bit that we were able to do that," she said.

Times seem to be changing.

As temperatures fall, businesses are just thankful this holiday season, that sales are looking up.

Hallmark said they make 80 percent of their holiday sales in the last 40 days of the year.