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BUSINESS
16 Walworth County Sunday Sunday, December 23, 2007 Place Your Ad Today!!
TTOM OM
BB UTENHOFF
TAKING CARE OF
BUSINESS
Cost of
Christmas
up 3 percent
Not surprisingly, the significantly higher
price of gold and increased compensation for
minimum wage workers has made Christmas
more expensive this year, according to the PNC
Christmas Price Index. This tongue-in-cheek
economic analysis is based on the cost of gifts in
the holiday classic, “The Twelve Days of
Christmas.”
According to the 23rd annual survey, the cost
this year is $19,507, a 3.1 percent increase over
last year.
“Each year, the Christmas Price Index
reflects trends in the broader economy,” said
James Dunigan, managing executive of investments
for PNC Wealth Management. “This
year, increased commodities prices, concerns
about the value of the dollar, and the first minimum
wage increase in 10 years were major factors
in the increases to the Christmas Price
Index.”
True loves will have to pay a bit more for the
five gold rings this year. Said Dunigan, “The
cost of the gold
... the eight maidsa-milking
make
minimum wage,
and have not had
an increase
since 1997.
rings in this year’s
Christmas Price
Index reflects the
general trend of
increasing commodity
prices in the
Consumer Price
Index, including
gold. In addition,
increased fears
about inflation and
the value of the dol-
lar may have led investors to turn to gold as a
safer place to invest their money.”
The price of five gold rings now totals $395, a
21.5 percent increase over last year’s price, but
still nowhere close to 1989 prices, when the five
gold rings hit an all-time high of $750.
As the only unskilled laborers in the
Christmas Price Index, the eight maids-a-milking
make minimum wage, and have not had an
increase since 1997. This year, Congress
increased their wages by 13.6 percent, bringing
the cost of eight maids-a-milking for one hour to
$46.80. The true love will have to reach deeper
into his pockets for the milkmaids in 2008 and
2009 as well, since Congress already has
approved additional increases to the minimum
wage for the next two years.
The cost of most performers in the index rose
a modest 3 percent to 4 percent, due primarily
to an increase in compensation that reflects a
current labor market with unemployment below
5 percent.
Among the feathered friends in the
Christmas Price Index, the most notable development
is a 20 percent increase in the price for
six geese-a-laying.
Said Dunigan, “For true loves planning to
serve a Christmas goose for a holiday meal, this
item will be a bit more expensive. Food prices
have increased over the last year, which has
had an impact on birds traditionally served as
food.”
Most of the other bird prices in the index didn’t
change much from last year, thanks to
steady supply and demand for partridges, turtle
doves, French hens and swans.
For those True Loves who prefer to do their
shopping online, the trend is an overall price
increase of of 3 percent.
The opinions above are those of Tom Butenhoff
and not necessarily of this paper or Stifel
Nicolaus. Write to him in care of Stifel Nicolaus,
330 E. Kilbourn Ave., Suite 250, Milwaukee, WI
53202.
A CHANGE OF ‘SCENE’RY
Store offers
designer fashions,
gently used items
Business name: Scene II
Consignment Boutique
Owner: Penny Gillihan
Address: 237 E. Walworth Ave.,
Delavan.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday
through Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.,
Sunday.
Phone: (262) 728-9640
Type of business: Scene II is a
resale clothing boutique for the whole
family. I also sell accessories and collectibles.
When did the business open?
The store was opened in 1981 by
Delores Rubly.
Why did you start this business?
Resale shopping was always a fun
experience for me, and I love working
with the public. This job is the perfect
fit for me.
How did you get into this line of
work? I was always a resale shopper
and frequently shopped at Scene II in
Elkhorn. When the owner needed
help, I applied. I purchased the
Delavan store from Pam Pierson in
March 1999.
What types of products or services
does your business offer? I
have many consignors who bring me
everything from designer fashions to
everyday clothing for men, women and
children. New items and gently used
accessories like shoes, boots and purses
also are available. I have a large
BY AMY RATH
STAFF WRITER
DELAVAN — Christmas came a few
weeks early this year for Frank Nappe.
The Elkhorn resident is the grandprize
winner of Community Shoppers’
Pick the Pros football contest. Nappe
received his prize, a 42-inch Panasonic
plasma high-definition television, Dec.
14 at Sears in Lake Geneva.
“I could not believe I won when they
called and told me,” Nappe said. “It was
a regular Tuesday afternoon; my wife
was watching television while I played
solitaire, when they called and surprised
us with the news that we had
won.”
This is the first year CSI has sponsored
the Pick the Pros contest.
Director of Circulation Chris Wilhelms
organized the promotion and sorted
through the weekly entries.
“This was something I had seen done
at a previous newspaper I had worked
for, and thought it could be good for
CSI,” Wilhelms said. “We decided to run
the contest for 14 weeks, so that we
could give out the prize in time for
Christmas.”
Each week, contestants predicted the
winners of 14 football games.
Participants were ranked based on how
many games they correctly picked
throughout the season.
Nappe and his family employed a
team strategy in an effort to win the
AMY RATH/STAFF
Scene II owner Penny Gillihan stands next to a display of wool and fur winter coats
inside her downtown Delavan store. Scene II offers a variety of items for men,
women and children on a consignment basis.
BUSINESS
PROFILE
selection of leather and fur coats and
jackets, and a fabulous array of jewelry,
from 14-karat gold and sterling silver
to costume and vintage pieces.
What has been your biggest
challenge in your business? My
biggest challenge has been keeping
the quality and variety of what I offer
outstanding, and the prices affordable
for the bargain hunter.
What aspect of the business do
TV.
“My son-in-law and I would get
together each week and pick our
teams,” he said. “We would make sure
we had different predictions for him,
myself and my wife, in hopes one of us
would at least be right.”
His son-in-law, Gary Wuhrman, finished
a close second in the season-long
contest, trailing Nappe by two points.
In the spirit of the holidays, Nappe
decided to give the television to
Wuhrman.
“They have a bigger living room than
we do, and we really don’t need one so
big,” Nappe said. “So I told him he
could have it, and we are going to take
his old one since it is newer than ours.”
The TV is one of the more popular
units sold at Sears, store owner Chuck
you enjoy most? I enjoy meeting and
helping new people every day. I have
made many lasting friendships
through the business.
From what cities do your customers
come? Many of my customers
are from the Delavan, Elkhorn, Lake
Geneva and Janesville areas. But I
also have many loyal customers and
consignors from the Milwaukee and
Chicago suburbs.
What are your future plans for
the business? I hope to continue
making the resale experience fun and
rewarding for my customers and giving
them the individual attention they
deserve.
An extra gift under the Christmas tree
Elkhorn man wins
‘Pick the Pros’ prize
AMY RATH/STAFF
Pick the Pros
contest winner
Frank Nappe,
second from
right, is
congratulated by
CSI General
Manager Dan
Pyfer, left, Sears
owner Chuck
Platts and CSI
Special
Sections/Projects
Manager Diane
Greenlee.
Platts said. He added that he was
happy to participate when CSI
approached him about providing the
prize.
“I think this contest is a lot of fun for
the community, and it is a great way to
get people geared up for the football
season,” he said. “Panasonic is a very
popular brand, and this is a great television
that I would love to have in my
own home.”
Other contest sponsors were A+
Power Sports, Lake Geneva Country
Meats, Country Ford of Lake Geneva,
Two Seasons Bowl in Elkhorn, Verlo
Mattress Factory Store in Lake Geneva,
Mielke’s Sentry, Slumberland in
Delavan, Subway of Delavan, Walworth
and Williams Bay, Zingg Motor Corp.
and Maxxx Motorsports.
‘I THINK THIS CONTEST IS ... A GREAT WAY TO GET PEOPLE GEARED UP FOR THE FOOTBALL SEASON.’
— CHUCK PLATTS, OWNER, SEARS OF LAKE GENEVA AND DELAVAN