By Anne Levin

Last Saturday’s snowstorm turned Princeton into a picture-perfect winter scene. But it was no gift to area retailers. The expected holiday shopping crowds were scared away by the weather, which turned out to be less of a threat than anticipated.

Despite the slowdown, shopkeepers are hoping to recoup in the two weekends left before December 25. “The snow was beautiful, but it actually kept people away,” said Rob Menapace, owner of Homestead Princeton on Palmer Square’s Hulfish Street. “Year after year, Princeton is ranked as one of the top 10 Christmas towns in the state. It’s a magical kind of place. So it was strange. But there were five weekends this year between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so perhaps people just have more time. I think we’ll see a rush in the coming weeks. I hope so.”

Mimi Omiecinski of Princeton Tour Company, which runs holiday trolley tours around town, said her Saturday tours suffered. “I was really surprised, because most of our trolley tours book up about two days before,” she said. “When news came about the storm on Friday, there was an onslaught of calls. Everyone was canceling. Normally it’s completely sold out, but we were at 50 percent. The snow was pretty, though.”

Jazams toy store on Palmer Square is normally packed with shoppers this time of year, but Saturday was a washout. “It’s a toy store retailer’s nightmare to have snow on a Saturday before Christmas,” co-owner Joanne Farrugia said on Monday. “You never make it back. You can’t make it up. Sunday was okay. But I think in general, in Princeton, we need more people to think about where they are making their purchases — not just for us, but for all retailers. It’s so important to shop local. Still, we have 14 more days and I’m anticipating it to be good. We’re optimistic by nature.”

With the addition of several seasonal pop-up stores, Palmer Square is full, according to Jamie Volkert of Palmer Square Management. “We have one or two stores being used for storage by other tenants, but we are full,” she said last week. “The Black Friday crowd was larger than I’ve ever seen it, and a lot of events are going on so there are many reasons to come to the Square and a lot of things to keep people shopping.”

The one store to open on Palmer Square in recent months is Nic and Zoe, on Hulfish Street. Holiday pop-ups include a photo studio where the Zoe shop was located before moving to Nassau Street, where pictures with Santa are taken on weekends and all proceeds go to HomeFront; the gift and pottery store Objects of Our Lives; the Japanese tableware and gift store Miya, Inc.; and Ana Caro
Leather Goods.

There are vacancies at Princeton Shopping Center on Harrison Street, but Eden’s, the company that has owned the center since 2012, recently added 4 Elements Wellness. Itr offers “cryotherapy, floatation therapy, infrared sauna, low-level light therapy, and halotherapy, otherwise known as Himalayan Salt room,” according to the shopping center website.

Surf Taco was targeted for a December 6 opening, but it has been delayed and is awaiting a final date.