By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Big Creek Crossing mall will be a little bit busier this holiday season with five pop-up stores and the opening of a new permanent store.
New this year will be Kansas Christmas Wonderland owned by Lori Nuss of Russell. Nuss' family has operated the store in Russell since 2012 but decided to move the store to Hays this Christmas.
Christmas Wonderland, which will be in the former Hallmark location, will carry a wide selection of Christmas decor, including Christmas ornaments, signs, tabletop decor and snowmen.
Prices will range from a few dollars for an ornament to a $300 rocking horse. The store has about 20 to 25 trees with all types of ornaments and decorations.
The store has ornaments customers can customize and use as gift tags.
"Bells are really big this year. I have gold bells, black bells, navy bells cream bells," she said.
Cardinals and gnomes are also popular this year, she said.
Nuss, who said she has always loved Christmas, said the store has been a labor of love for her whole family. She said a daughter, who's a senior in high school, has been especially helpful in putting the store together this year.
Christmas Wonderland had a soft opening last week. It will be open mall hours Saturdays and Sundays until Christmas and evenings by appointment. Nuss can be contacted through the store's Facebook page.
Other pop-up stores at Big Creek Crossing this year include Western Sunset Creations, Haus of Vanity, GoCalendar, and Ponderosa Pines trees of Ogallah in the parking lot.
Western Sunset Creations, which is run by the Dorzweiler family, is back again this year in the former Payless Shoes store. It will offer roasted nuts, homemade fudge, homemade sausage and bierocks.
Haus of Vanity of Colorado specializes in hair irons and hair accessories. That kiosk, which will be in the north hall, has been at Big Creek Crossing before and will be back this year for the holiday season.
Go Calendar has had a kiosk at Big Creek Crossing for years. It is back in the north hall of the mall, selling calendars, games and plush toys.
Pro Image, a new permanent resident on the north end of the mall, is set to open this holiday season. The store, owned by Hays resident Robert Alvarez, will carry licensed sports merchandise, including hats, jerseys and collectibles.
Toys for Tots will have a give-and-take store for needy families in the south hall next to Maurices. There also will be a box next to the mall office in the north hall in which customers can leave gifts of new toys.
The Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center also has a giving tree in the north hall of the mall next o the mall office. Shoppers can take ornaments off the tree, which have the age, gender and preferred presents for children, buy a gift and place it in a box next to the tree.
The Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center provides therapy and forensics services for children who have been abused. Its service area includes Ellis County.
Photos with Santa will be offered again this year, including a couple of pet nights for dogs and cats. You can find a calendar with Santa's hours on the Big Creek Crossing Facebook page.
"I am anticipating a pretty decent year, a pretty typical year from what I'm seeing," said Branson Hoffman, Big Creek Crossing marketing manager.
The mall will be open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day, noon to 6 p.m. the day after Christmas, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. New Year's Eve and noon to 6 p.m. New Year's Day.