It’s Time for Cozy Season Traditions Downtown
Leaves have changed, candles are lit, more of us are ordering our morning pick-me-ups hot instead of iced, and we’re stirring soups on the stove when we get home. Cozy season is here! And it is particularly gorgeous this year, isn’t it?
This time of year brings out the warm and fuzzies in us all—literally and figuratively. Our PNW uniform—the layer—comes back in a big way. Gourds abound, the occasional flake falls, and holiday party selfies slow our social media scroll.
Beyond the overarching traditions that keep us looking forward to this time every year, our local businesses have customs of their own. Wrap yourself in your favorite blanket and keep reading to learn about how a large handful of downtown spots are giving, gathering, and getting cozy this season.
Gina Drake, Barre3 Edmonds
When I think of colder temps and barre3, I think of retail and the unique cozy layering pieces from our favorite brands, like Beyond Yoga, Varley, and Vuori that will keep you warm to and from the studio. Our semi-annual sale—the biggest of the year—starts around Thanksgiving, so mark your calendars to come and shop!
Todd Waddell, Bountiful Home and Nursery
What’s not to love about the holiday season? It’s a season for nesting, dining, and gathering. When I think of fall, I think of a cozy sweater on a warm day that turns into a chilly evening. We have all the things you need for your gatherings here—and, don’t forget, we’re closing our doors at the end of the year, so come in soon to get everything you need for dwelling!
Jennifer Myatt, Calypso
I’m Canadian, so we celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving on October 10th this year. I always try to participate in the downtown Edmonds scarecrow contest, but if I don’t put one up in time, I will draw ours on the sidewalk right outside of the restaurant. I always do holiday chalk art, too! Last year, I made Snoopy sleeping on top of his adog house and then added a snow globe around it. Stop by to check out our latest!
Musa Safouane, The Churchkey Pub
Fall and winter are definitely our busiest seasons due to our aesthetic and the coziness of our pub in the colder months.
During these seasons, we like to treat our customers with a few warm holiday cocktails, such as Glogg, hot toddies, and pumpkin-buttered rum. We’ve also added pumpkin ales, Oktoberfest lagers, scotch ales, and pumpkin ciders to our tap rotation. We’ll be bringing back the Pilgrim Sandwich from last year by popular demand and updating a few other menu items.
Jen Lawson, Crow
The change of seasons at Crow is a great time to roll up my sleeves, burn some sage, and re-merchandise the displays! Clearing out summer favorites and making room for fall and winter treasures always feels like a reset. At home, with the days getting shorter, putting dinner on the table for five calls for an easy Instant Pot recipe! My go-to is this cozy Sweet Potato Chili recipe (with extra hot sauce).
Madeline Ingham, Feedme Hospitality & Restaurant Group
We do a giving tree every year for the holidays (stay tuned for more info on that!) and we are planning to offer a holiday gift card promo: buy a $100 gift card, receive a free $20 gift card sort of thing. That promotion will be at Fire & The Feast, Salt & Iron, Bar Dojo, MARKET, and Shore Pine. Follow us on social media to stay up with the latest, though—we have lots of ideas and things may change!
Jennifer Cullin, The Paper Feather
My favorite tradition is designing and decorating my shop with a warm and cozy decor for customers to enjoy! I love showcasing locally-made candles, handmade cards and gifts, and many unique treasures.
Cecilia Fisher, Slate Salon + Spa
I usually participate in local auctions, either by attending or donating items. Recently I attended the ECA dinner gala. I just donated to Holy Rosary’s upcoming auction, which comes up every year. I start painting again every fall, and I usually produce a painting for Esperanza International’s annual auction. One more thing! This is the time of year when I go through my retail inventory and donate items to Pathways for Women in Lynnwood/Edmonds. For the holidays, we offer gift cares and Unite and VoCè holiday gift bags that include a free hair product.
Jen Mitchell, Twist Yoga
At Twist, we always say now is a great time to begin again. We love seeing new and returning faces at our studio during this time every year.
Pam Stuller, Walnut Street Coffee
We host a giving tree every year around the holidays. Laura Burkhart will be making another winter window display for us this year, and we’ll have seasonal drinks for the winter bingo Edmonds does!
Larry Maurer, Workhorse Coworking
We plan to host a holiday food drive for the Edmonds Food Bank. This will be our third year collecting food and non-perishables for them. Since we’re dog-friendly, we’re talking about adding a dog food portion to benefit The Haus of Dogs. Our member lunch in November will be a build-your-own panini bar with a turkey option, of course! We can’t wait to host all of your holiday parties (including our own) as well as a small business vendor fair in early December.