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Sydney Cromwell
Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Kathy Bley and Valerie Woods give out samples of pie spice at Penzey's Spices during the Holiday Open House. Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Baskets of Green Skies Project tree saplings were available in front of several stores to give away during the Holiday Open House. Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Jason Braden serves chili to customers at Seibels during the Holiday Open House. Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Robin McDaniel folds gift wrap at Seibels during the Holiday Open House. Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Sarah Anne Elliott, Meredith Drennen and Mandy Schwarting from the Homewood Chamber of Commerce during the Holiday Open House. Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
A trolley transported shoppers around downtown during the Holiday Open House. Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Charlie Thomas greets kids as Santa Claus during the Holiday Open House. Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Ruth and Don Driggers of Bee Creek Farm gave samples of candy nuts and flavored creamed honey outside of Alabama Goods, where they sell their products, during the Holiday Open House. Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
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Sydney Cromwell
Homewood's downtown stores offered sales and finger foods while they showed off their holiday items during the Holiday Open House, Nov. 2, 2017.
The shops in downtown Homewood were decked in string lights and greenery on Thursday, Nov. 2, for the annual Holiday Open House.
The chamber-hosted event is in its 17th year and offers a chance for storefronts on 18th Street South and elsewhere in the downtown area to draw new customers and offer special sales. Many participating businesses have already decorated their front windows and interiors for the holidays, and Christmas items including ornaments and other decor was for sale.
Some shops brought their products out to the sidewalks, and Penzey's Spices and Alabama Goods vendor Bee Creek Farm were among those offering free samples of their goods.
Other storefronts lured customers indoors with music, sales, wine and finger foods, and Seibels at 2927 18th Street South served up cups of chili.
The event was held from 5 to 8:30 p.m., and a trolley transported shoppers around downtown. Charlie Thomas, who has been a Santa for 15 years and has played the role in Homewood's Christmas parade the past five years, was on hand to take pictures and hear children's Christmas wishes.
"Seeing the smiles on their faces just warms Santa's heart," Thomas said.
The chamber's goal in hosting the open house is to help locally-owned businesses succeed and encourage customers to shop local for their holiday needs.
