Some downtown El Paso shop owners have ‘written off Christmas’ due to border restrictions

EL PASO, Texas -- With the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season underway, local businesses are turning to online stores to keep their doors open. But some businesses may not have the resources to do that.

Many business in downtown El Paso rely on foot traffic from across the U-S.-Mexico border. Mark Rosen, owner of the Texas Store on Overland Avenue, doesn't see border restrictions ending until sometime next year.

“I’ve (pretty much) written off Christmas because we are so heavily reliant on business the trade from Mexico and its non-existent." Rosen said. "When I saw that the (Covid-19) numbers were rising all throughout the region including Juarez, I kind of knew that we’re not going to have much of a Christmas.” 

Rosen said moving towards selling some of his inventory online isn't an option.

"We have low-priced merchandise, and it's very difficult to try to sell it online. It's just the nature of my business right now."

Dozens of shoppers on Friday still made their way up and down El Paso Street, one of the city's busiest shopping areas, but not near as many as downtown business owners are used to seeing this time of year.

Border restrictions were recently extended until Dec. 21.