Shopkeepers say they are raking in the Christmas sales as the gift-giving season reaches the final stretch.
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Uneke Homewares owner Louise Leahy said many of her customers had deliberately decided to buy their gifts in Wagga to help local businesses after a tough year.
"A lot of people are choosing not to buy online and instead helping local business, which really makes a difference," Ms Leahy said.
"We've had so much support from our local people which has been amazing. We're all very thankful for the local support."
Many businesses had feared that this year would be another quiet Christmas, after last year's bushfires put a significant damper on gift sales.
In actual fact November sales were up 13.2 per cent compared with last year, with Australian Bureau of Statistics data showing a strong recovery in the retail sector.
In other news
Don Tuckwell Audio's Don Tuckwell said vinyl sales were going "gangbusters" this Christmas.
The 82-year-old said young people in particular were rediscovering the love of analogue sound and were creating a vinyl resurgence.
"Vinyl has been making a comeback for years, but this year has been phenomenal," Mr Tuckwell said.
"What is old is new again, and what is somebody's rubbish is somebody else's treasure. It's something I never thought I would see again."
Gateway Bookshop's Fran Payne said books were flying off the shelves, as more parents take the time to read to their children in lockdown.
Some of the children's books were COVID related, including a book called "I'm a hero too" that covers everything from social distancing to hand washing.
Another popular children's book is called "Pandemic", which is all about the Spanish Flu.
"We have kids coming in with vouchers for their good work at school, and lots of grandmas needing help for what to buy the grandchildren," Ms Payne said.
"There's a lot of lovely dedicated grandparents out there.
BEC business advisor Ann Sutton said she had been buying local goods from all over the region, from Coolamon to Ganmain to Junee.
Ms Sutton said she was consistently blown away by what the business community had to offer, with something new to discover in every corner.
"There's just so much great local stuff," Ms Sutton said.