Interestingly, the advent of Fay’s Christmas Village in Brockway came about because of slow winter sales at the town’s Honda dealership.
(Photos courtesy of Fay’s Christmas Village)
Raymond Bish owned the business and sold motorcycles there from the 1960s to the 1990s, and to make up for the dip in income during the colder months, his wife Fay set up Christmas displays in the showroom and began selling holiday merchandise.
After several years of seasonal sales, she moved operations next door around 1990 and turned her part-time business into a full-time endeavor where she could help her customers outfit their homes for holidays all throughout the year.
Today, Fay and Raymond’s daughter Alice White manages the store with help from her daughter and a small staff, and together they have created a shopping destination for anyone who gets caught up in the spirit of the holiday — any holiday. While Christmas decorations make up the bulk of the business, the shop also carries decorations and gifts for Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Independence Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and other holidays.
The store’s Christmas inventory includes trees, wreaths, garlands, greens, ornaments, religious items, nutcrackers, snow globes, indoor and outdoor lights, and lots more. Brands include Fontanini nativities, Christopher Radko ornaments, Charming Tails decorations, Yankee Candles, and White’s Confections, among others.
Alice takes pride in her knowledgeable staff, the individual attention they give their customers, and the excellence of the products they sell and the service they offer. “The quality of our trees speaks for themselves,” she says. “We take the time to test the prelit tree lights, and we take time to explain stuff to our customers and give the best service.”
Alice advises Christmas customers to measure their space at home for a tree before they come shop to make sure they can buy with confidence and don’t have any unexpected surprises when they bring their tree home. “We have slim trees, little trees, and accent trees in addition to the larger ones,” Alice says. “Some are prelit, and some come flocked with artificial snow.” The store even has a patriotic red, white, and blue Christmas tree that’s perfect for Christmas in July as well as December.
Although Fay, who will turn 90 four days before Christmas this year, no longer runs the day-to-day operations of the business, the holiday spirit she created at the store remains and customers can find the same commitment to personal service she established.
Fay’s Christmas Village is open year round Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and through Christmas, they’re also open noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays, so you have plenty of opportunities to stock up on all your seasonal necessities.
Learn more and find other interesting places to visit in the Pennsylvania Great Outdoors region by going to VisitPAGO.com or calling (814) 849-5197.
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