SPOKANE, Wash — A Spokane staple will not be opening for the upcoming holiday season due to coronavirus.
Old World Christmas on East Main Avenue made the announcement Tuesday on its Facebook page.
“The health and well-being of our customers and the Old World Christmas elves is our top priority,” store leaders wrote. “We will greatly miss seeing all of you - opening our outlet is something we look forward to every year. We appreciate each and every one of you, and hope you have a blessed, safe Holiday Season!”
The store also opted not to open for 'Christmas in July' due to the pandemic and had plans to open in mid-October. The store only opens for a certain amount of time twice a year.
In 2019, the store was concerned about U.S. tariffs on China.
President of Old World Christmas Doug Lauer made a trip to Washington D.C. to make a plea for Christmas ornaments. During his trip, he urged a panel at a U.S. Trade Administration hearing to take Christmas ornaments off a list to get hit with a 25 percent tariff with China. He said it would not only hurt his business, but the roughly 3,000 retail businesses who sell his ornaments.
Shortly after the Lauer's testimony he was pleased to learn President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping called a temporary tariff ceasefire of sorts.
The ornaments are designed locally but hand blown in China.