Waiting until the last minute to buy forgotten items for Christmas Day dinner is not a good idea.

Friday, December 24, 1999

Waiting until the last minute to buy forgotten items for Christmas Day dinner is not a good idea.

Many area businesses will close up shop Christmas Eve, including local grocery stores.

Andis General Store, Arabia Pit Stop, Bartram and Son Grocery, Clark’s Mini Mart, Dickess Market, Forth’s Foodfair, McCarty’s Grocery, Pick ‘N Save Foods, R and R Grocery and Carryout and Tipton’s Foodland and Bakery will remain open for regular or limited store hours Christmas Eve, but will not reopen until Dec. 26.

Two local stores will be available for last-minute shopping Christmas Day – Shortlist Grocery and Carryout and the University Mart.

And don’t plan on buying any Christmas presents the day of the event.

Wal-Mart, Kmart, Ames, Ashland Town Center Mall, Huntington Mall and Cedar Knoll Galleria will all be closed Dec. 25.

But extended hours will be available for last-minute Christmas Eve shopping trips.

Wal-Mart, Ames and the Huntington Mall will stay open until 6 p.m. Dec. 24, while Kmart will remain open until 8 p.m. Shopping hours at the Ashland Town Center will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Christmas Eve.

To accommodate those who want to return unwanted gifts, department stores will open bright and early the day after Christmas.

Wal-Mart will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Kmart, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Ames will open during regular store hours Sunday; Ashland Town Center from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Huntington Mall, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Cedar Knoll Galleria, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

But even if you do find a place open this weekend, you better have some money.

Local banks will only offer limited hours Christmas Eve before re-opening Monday, Dec. 27.

First Federal Bank in Ironton and Lincoln Savings and Loan will be open until noon Christmas Eve, while Firstar locations will offer business hours of 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Ohio River Bank will stay open until 1 p.m. that day. Lawrence Federal Bank will be closed Christmas Eve.

Banks aren’t the only ones taking a holiday.

Most city and county offices will close for the season.

Coal Grove Village Hall will be closed Friday, but area garbage delivery will run as usual that morning.

Ironton mayor’s office will close Christmas Eve and Dec. 27. The city garbage pickup will run on the normal schedule.

Chesapeake Village Hall will remain closed Friday. Proctorville Village Hall will be closed Dec. 24-27.

Customers of Kingery’s Collection Services Inc., which runs garbage collection services in Chesapeake, Rome Township and Proctorville, will not be affected by the holiday.