Why one small business stays open on Labor Day – KRDO

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – It’s a quiet day inside Mackenzie and West, a retail store tucked along Colorado Avenue.

You can hear every hanger squeak on the rack, and doorbell rings when someone walks inside.

Co-owner Glynis Hartwig says, “Labor Day is just another day for me.”

Mondays don’t usually bring a lot of foot traffic to the store but the holidays are different.

The store is going on its third year of business, and Hartwig says they’re open even when most people have the day off.

“There’s a lot of foot traffic. We see a lot of new people and visitors from out of town,” she says.

Hartwig explains that depending on the month, new customers make up about 40% of the business, but they also rely on loyal customers.

“It never fails,” she says. “They come in and say, ‘I love the vibe in here,’ and keep shopping. Our locals keep coming back.”

Even if she doesn’t have the day off, she’s happy to be working.

The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations reports 22% of people work on Labor Day.