PCDC’s New GO! Sparkle Grants Help Local Businesses Shine Bright This Holiday Season

Phelps County is glowing a little brighter this year thanks to PCDC’s new GO! Sparkle program, which offered $250 matching grants to help downtown businesses enhance their exterior Christmas lighting.  

Bridal Isle in Loomis and My Fair Lady Fashions and Frills in downtown Holdrege applied for and received grants this year.

The new program supports a growing national trend: holiday décor matters to shoppers. According to a study by the National Retail Federation, 90% of shoppers say holiday decorations influence where they choose to shop.  

Studies show that festive lighting influences store choice, encourages customers to spend more, and boosts the emotional connection with a brand. For communities like Phelps County, adding sparkle can mean adding economic vitality.

Bridal Isle Brings Fresh Holiday Cheer

For Bridal Isle’s owner Karla Axtell, the grant arrived at just the right moment.

“I was visiting with Sally Sadd (PCDC Director of Business Services), and she mentioned the opportunity to me,” Axtell said. “The grant gave us the opportunity to freshen up our look outside.”

Bridal Isle is a bridal store in downtown Loomis that attracts brides from across the Midwest looking to purchase their dream wedding dress. The store also sells mothers’ dresses, jewelry and accessories, shoes, and offers tuxedo rental. It celebrated 40 years in business in 2024.

With the help of the GO! Sparkle program, Bridal Isle added greenery and lights trimmed with small red bows around the windows, wreaths above the outdoor lights, and large lighted bulbs filled with ornaments that Axtell and her team hand-painted red and gold.

“This year we only did our main building,” she said, “but hopefully we can expand down to the rest of our windows next year and possibly do more in our garden area as well.”

My Fair Lady Creates a Nostalgic Winter Wonderland

For Margaret Kring, the GO! Sparkle program provided the spark for a completely refreshed holiday theme at her downtown Holdrege boutique, My Fair Lady’s Fashions and Frills.

“When I saw the information on this, it gave me the impetus to think of something new to do,” Kring said. “I had told myself we were not spending any money on new Christmas decorations … but then I thought, why not! Besides, we needed LED lights.”

The inspiration struck when she discovered beautiful lighted lamp posts setting the tone for a nostalgic, cozy, and welcoming holiday look. The store’s front windows are now lined with lights and anchored by two glowing lamp posts, a bench draped with a red throw, a whimsical oversized mug of hot chocolate, and mannequins dressed in festive fashions. A decorated tree and snow-covered ground complete the scene.

Inside, the theme continues. Christmas carols play as a larger lamp post highlights the accessory section, while smaller lamp posts featuring messages of joy, hope, and the true meaning of Christmas fill the space. The shop’s holiday theme: “Sights, Sounds and Styles of the Season.”

Brighter Downtowns, A Stronger Holiday Season

PCDC launched the GO! Sparkle program to help local businesses elevate the customer experience during the holiday shopping season. The GO! Sparkle grant program, combined with the Holdrege Area Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Let It Glow’ lighting competition (which begins Dec. 1), are helping businesses create warm, welcoming, and memorable storefronts to strengthen both community pride and holiday sales.

For more information about GO! Sparkle or other PCDC grant programs, visit the PCDC website or contact Sally Sadd at sally@phelpscountyne.com or (308) 995-4148.