Shopping in Broadneck: Della & Jane

This is the first holiday shopping season for , a clothing and gift shop for women and kids located in the Bay Hills Shopping Center.

Store owner Kimberly Cantoli said she wants to keep her holiday items inviting for everyone, and not just those who celebrate Christmas. Boxed gifts line the ceilings and walls of the store. And instead of browbeating customers with a red and green theme, she frosted her front store window with snowflake art.

Signaling the holidays is important for sales, particularly when the weather outside doesn’t match the traditional view of the Christmas season, Cantoli said.

“There’s no snow on the ground yet, but here it is at the end of November and Christmas is right around the corner,” she said. “Decorations like these just serve as little reminders for shoppers to keep gifts in mind.”

Some stores in the region began decorating their stores with holiday festivities earlier in the month, some even as early as August, but Cantoli said she held back despite the holiday sales arms race. She didn't want to go overboard.

“I didn’t want to sort of be forcing Christmas onto people until after Thanksgiving,” Cantoli said. “That’s how it used to be, but recently it’s been expedited. Everyone seems to want Christmas to come earlier.”

However, the holiday theme is a tried-and-true marketing technique, she said. The holidays get you in mind for presents. As a store owner, don’t want to start pushing these items too late, or you could miss some crucial sales, she said.

“If I put some of these things up mid December, I’d only have two weeks to sell it,” she said, gesturing to a green onesie.

Della & Jane is located at 1276 Bay Dale Dr. in the Bay Hills Shopping Center.