Snowstorm, burritos help Portland bookstore stay afloat

PORTLAND, Ore. - Retailers across the country have been reporting dismal December sales, among the worst in 40 years. Some are even closing their doors.

That almost happened at Broadway Books in northeast Portland. 

But owner Roberta Dyer said she was saved by the December storm. What could have been a disaster actually helped her business thrive.

Dyer was really worried about her shop's sales the week before Christmas - right before the big snowstorm hit Portland. She knew it would be a tough week. There were no shoppers on the street. After a devastating few months, it was not a good sign. 

"We were pretty devastated," Dyer said. "We thought, 'That's it! How can we even get to the store to open it? And if we can't get there, how can people come to shop?' "

Then her son, Aaron Durand, had an idea. From his home in San Francisco, he posted a plea on his blog - everydaydude.blogspot.com - promising to buy customers a burrito at Cha Cha Cha on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard if they spent $50 at his mom's book store.

He knew it would be a tough Christmas and wanted to do something to get people to buy local. Word spread about the offer, and then it started snowing.

"They started to beat a path to our door," Dyer said. "They started cross country skiing and snowshoeing to get here."

The weather got worse and worse, but they kept coming, earning their burritos and grateful to get their shopping done.

"We started running out of books," Dyer said.

It turned into a social event, she said, where people started to really recognize the value of a locally owned, independent business. She calls it a Christmas miracle.

"We ended (the month) 6 1/2 percent ahead of last year," Dyer said. "It was our best December ever.”

Aaron Durand will be hosting the burrito party at Cha Cha Cha on Jan. 16. He plans to delivery any leftovers to a local homeless shelter.