OTTUMWA — Local merchants can have a successful holiday season, but they may need some help — from local merchants.

“We’ve got to get the retailers involved,” said Tom Palen, an Ottumwa Area Chamber of Commerce member who also owns KTCH and TOM-FM Radio.

He was one of more than 20 local business people who attended a “retail summit” Tuesday, where the co-host, chamber director Terry McNitt, wanted ideas to make Ottumwa more attractive to visitors for the 2009 holiday shopping season.

McNitt said he was impressed with the people who were there at the meeting room at Country Kitchen. Representatives from smaller businesses like South Side Drug and the Hobby Chest attended, as well as managers from larger stores like J.C. Penney and Walmart.

“We’ve got a powerful crowd here. People always work to bring visitors into their business. We want ideas to bring visitors into Ottumwa,” McNitt said.

Merchants agreed.

Events like Holiday Nights ‘N’ Lights have drawn people from 100 miles or more. Bridge View Center has been bringing visitors, too, McNitt added.

Some of the other resources, in addition to amenities like the trails, are actually the smaller merchants themselves.

Palen said it was those unique businesses that could help draw visitors, to give shoppers “a reason” to bring their shopping dollars to the area.

McNitt agreed with Palen and others who said it was also important to keep local shoppers happy; one businessman pointed out that about half of every dollar spent in Ottumwa stays in Ottumwa.

Another suggested a reminder to the public about how important it is to shop locally. Each merchant could add a “shop local” tag to the end of their radio, TV or newspaper advertising. Not only could that serve as a reminder that local merchants appreciate local business —and that local money supports local infrastructure — but it could show all shoppers that Ottumwa retailers, big and small, were working together.

“I think that’s a bulls eye,” said McNitt.

But people really will have to work together, some retailers pointed out. Palen said when he partnered with Dan Canny [ad director at the Ottumwa Courier] for a big Crazy Days promotion, retailers who got in the spirit of the event by decorating, having sales or attractions, really improved their sales. Those who did nothing later admitted to him they gained virtually nothing.

Betty Thomson, who runs the Hobby Chest downtown, was one who did get involved and did see improved sales. She was one of five independent retailers at the summit. But she said she’s worried about holiday season sales in this poor economy.

“I came here hoping to see what the new plan is,” she said. “Shopping downtown has had a marked decrease; we need to turn that around.”