BURLINGTON, VERMONT – Cloudy, wet weather may not exactly be ideal conditions for a weekend in Burlington, Vermont, but it’s certainly not dampening the spirits of merchants who are reaching out to Quebecers.
“Canadian citizens are a huge part of the clientele, definitely,” said Kari Skurdall, a sales associate at Kiss the Cook. “It’s increased over the past year even and business owners have noticed the trend and are trying to follow suit.”
She welcomes the influx of Quebec shoppers and believes that Quebecers are good for Vermont business – and much more.
“Personally, having lived in Montreal, I love it. I love that we have this cultural immersion, it’s great.”
This summer, more than ever, the city is doing all it can to reach out to shoppers north of the 49th parallel.
Over 700 parking meters were outfitted last week with bilingual signs by the Alliance francaise of the Lake Champlain Region. The meters also accept Canadian coins.
On Church Street, a pedestrian mall that has been a shopping Mecca for years, the Quebec flag has replaced the American one on most of the street’s lamp posts.
As a goodwill gesture, store fronts feature “Bienvenue Quebecois” signs.
The city’s efforts aren’t going unnoticed.
“I think it’s a lovely touch,” said Marie-Soleil Bergeron, who originally hails from Drummondville.
“It’s welcoming. It’s just wonderful.”
One of the lures of shopping in the Green Mountain state is low taxes: the sales tax on most merchandise is seven per cent and on clothing, it’s zero.
This, coupled with basement bargain prices and the strong Canadian dollar, makes Burlington an attractive shopping destination for many Quebecers, who live within a short drive.
Just ask Kate Berry. The retail worker said that one third of her clientele are Quebecois and so she makes an effort to speak French whenever she can.
“They actually really enjoy it,” she said. “Even if it’s not having a conversation, just saying hello or something else like that.”
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