Rows of small paper luminaries glowed along Selby Avenue on Thursday night, as St. Paul residents turned out for the annual Shop by Candlelight event. 

Organized by the Selby-Snelling Area Business Association, the tradition encourages local stores to extend hours into the evening, offering discounts, special treats and surprises and music to create a festive holiday atmosphere.

Jill Erickson, owner of the sustainable boutique Spoils of Wear and co-owner of Leo Footwear, highlighted the magnitude of the event for the local shop owners. 

“We’ve been planning it for a couple months. It’s our biggest shopping event of the year,” Erickson said.

Erickson said the event has taken place on the street for about 13 years. In past Novembers, shoppers have braved wind, cold and snow to participate. 

“This one in particular is one of the best weathers we’ve ever had,” Erickson said. “But no matter what, people come out for it.” 

Word of mouth plays a big role, Erickson added. 

“Yesterday, I had a regular customer who lives in the neighborhood say, ‘Oh, Shop by Candlelight’s tomorrow. I got to send an email to my friends about it,’” Erickson said.

Shoppers Rachel Urbas and Kenny DuPré, who live just over a mile away, shared similar stories. 

“One of the stores we go to said, ‘Come back next Thursday, there will be deals,’ so we came,” DuPré said. 

The pair began their spree around six, as the street was getting noticeably busier.

 “The candles lining the street are fun. And the tuba just came out, so things are starting to get exciting,” DuPré said.

DuPré said the district’s unique stores offer items he can not find elsewhere, nor at big retailers. 

“You see things you don’t see at big-box retailers,” DuPré said. “A lot of my family lives outside of the state, so I know if I come here looking for a Christmas gift, it’s going to be something they’ve never seen before, maybe didn’t even know existed.” 

Urbas said the event encouraged her to explore shops in Selby West. She had walked past many times. 

“I think I could be better at supporting local businesses,” Urbas said. “But this kind of event introduces people who aren’t in the habit yet. It’s a gateway.”

At Martha’s Gardens, owner Tara Sorg described the event’s atmosphere as festive, moody and intimate. For her flower shop, which draws heavily from neighborhood regulars, the evening is a chance to strengthen community ties. 

“We can celebrate our neighbors who come by, just say hi and get a reminder that we’re here,” she said. “So when they need flowers next time, we’re top of mind.”

This year, Shop by Candlelight included a new component: a neighborhood-wide collection for Keystone Community Services, a St. Paul-based nonprofit that provides food, youth and senior services. The collaboration was partly initiated by Megan McGuire, owner of Up Six Vintage and a board member of the Selby-Snelling Area Business Association, who helped include Keystone in the event.

“We wanted to reach out to a group that services our community and help folks during a time when SNAP benefits were disrupted,” McGuire said. 

Donation bins were set up along the street, and social media encouraged attendees to bring non-perishable foods and hygiene products. McGuire personally helped lead attendees to the donation drop-off areas. 

“There were folks carrying many bags,” McGuire said. “Jars, things with pull-tab lids, items that are easy to use.”

Julia McCarthy, director of programs with Keystone Community Services, expressed gratitude for the focus on food donations. She said even after recent SNAP distributions in the state, demand remains high. 

“There’s still a lot of need out there,” McCarthy said. “The cost of living and groceries has increased in the last few years. And typically at this time of year, some people are losing income because they have seasonal jobs that have ended, or perhaps are having to stay home sick from work.”

McCarthy said Keystone provides food to about 50,000 people per year. Despite the urgent community need, she said that the organization currently has more interested volunteers than they can handle. 

“We’re actually asking people to be patient if they have applied to volunteer, because it’s taking us a while to get through all the applications,” McCarthy said. “Which is a wonderful problem to have!”

While the community showed up to support those in need, business owners noted running an independent store in St. Paul comes with its own set of challenges. Rising rents, fluctuating amounts of customers and the pressures of competing with larger retailers make events like Shop by Candlelight crucial.

As a particularly strong reminder, Jill Erickson shares retail space with Teeny Bee Boutique, a beloved local shop that announced its closing earlier this week. While the owner did not wish to be interviewed, she said the reason for closing was economic pressure.

Erickson said the closure of the neighboring store was emotional. 

Sorg, of Martha’s Gardens, expressed sadness at the news. 

“We have partnered with her to do her outdoor container garden and love her business,” Sorg said.

Sorg added she has personally shopped there for children’s gifts and clothing. 

“I recommend customers to go there all the time,” Sorg said. “For us to lose a business, like the one that she’s built over several years, is sad for us.”

Both Sorg and Erisckson look at the closure as a reminder of the importance of supporting the businesses you love.

“If we want to have businesses that aren’t like everyday USA, we have to participate in what’s happening here at this local level,” Sorg said. 

Erickson also had a sobering message for St. Paul customers: “Shop’em or lose’em. That is the word of the moment.”