After 45 years in business, Mini Bazaar & Co. has seen a whole lot of Christmas. Each winter, the shop transforms into a glittering maze of Christmas decor and gift items sure to give anyone an idea of where to start in their own holiday prepping.
The store is run by mother-daughter duo Lucy Simmons and Bobbi Underwood. Lucy grew up crafting for Christmas and started Mini Bazaar & Co. with her sister, who retired about 18 years ago. Lucy said when the business first started, it was all handmade by herself, her sister and other women in the community.
“It used to be that we were the only place in town, but now you can buy home decor at the grocery store,” Lucy said. “We have a lot more competition and a lot of great shops in town. We just feel honored and glad that we’re still here.”
As times changed, Lucy said they started buying more items, and now she and Bobbi comb over gift markets to find what they think their customers will enjoy. Lucy said they still have some vendors from the very beginning.
Mini Bazaar & Co. is a very seasonal operation. It’s open for seven to eight weeks at a time, and then it closes for a couple weeks as they overhaul the store for the next season. During the break they repaint and move everything.
Lucy said now is the shop’s busiest season, and Christmas is their forte. Customers come all the way from Boise and Provo just to peruse the store. Each year, around Christmas, they try to sell over $100,000 in items.
Mini Bazaar & Co. is home to one of the best ribbon collections around, as well as colorful Christmas trees, floral arrangements and Christmas lights. For gift items, they frequently sell towels, kitchen accessories and figurines such as snowmen, angels and Santas. Lucy said a popular item to add to a gift is a bell.
“They’re even adding bells to packaging this year,” Lucy said. “We have tiny ones, and they just add something to a gift that looks awesome. Even if you’re giving a gift bag, you just tie it around your handle and you’re good.”
But Bobbi said the real magic of Mini Bazaar & Co. is from their three designers who decorate the shop.
“I think that’s why customers and women like to come here because they can see it and imagine it,” Bobbi said.
“It’s expensive to do it that way, but if we just brought everything we bought and threw it on a shelf and in a box, we wouldn’t do near as well,” Lucy added.
Lucy said their designers also decorate homes for Christmas, and even choose someone to decorate for at no cost as a sort of Secret Santa. She said she loves how Christmas puts people in a giving mood.
For anyone who comes into Mini Bazaar & Co. uncertain of where to start with Christmas decorating, Lucy said her mantra is to start with what you like.
“Whether it’s from your grandmother or if you just bought it this week, let it be you and don’t worry about decorating for who’s going to see it,” Lucy said.
The store is full of ideas to start from, whether it be wreaths and lanterns to place around the fireplace, or a Christmas tree decked out in all pink.
“We just want them to love their home and be comfortable in it,” Bobbi said.
For More Information
Mini Bazaar & Co.
765 S Capital Ave.
208-528-6479
Hours
Wednesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
