Downtown Kent fights off the cold with holiday events, gift ideas and cheer throughout the month of December.

Kent Natural Foods Co-op invited local shoppers to “come warm up with the co-op” as part of Kent’s downtown holiday celebration.

Sheila Harko, an employee, said the store is setting up for the holiday season.

“We have a holiday open house this Saturday (Dec. 7), all day, with music, samples, food, extra discounts (and) a raffle,” Harko said.

Visitors can enjoy live music by the Blk Skwrl Akrdion Klub and Bobby Wilson on Banjo from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

All customers will receive an additional five percent discount on everything in the store. For members, the discount can be added to their membership discount.

The open house takes place Dec. 7 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and promises free hot cocoa and cookies per the shop’s website.

Besides the event, Kent Natural Foods offers a range of organic stocking stuffers and gift ideas for the holidays.

“We have fair trade holiday socks by Maggie’s (Organics) made of organic cotton and wool, and arm warmers,” Harko said. “We have a lot of other items too (such as) organic holiday chocolates and candies and latte mixes.”

Customers can also find Rebel Green sulfate-free dish soap with frankincense oils, a selection of brioche bread and a fair amount of elderberry this season.

“We have a lot of elderberry,” Harko said. “We have local elderberry sweetened with honey. This is a very big seller in the winter months. People believe it prevents them from getting sick.”

People use elderberry to fight off the common cold and the flu or to boost their immune systems, according to the Cleveland Clinic’s Health Essentials.

Harko is not worried about losing foot traffic to the cold season thanks to regular shoppers and the shop’s downtown location.

“We’re centrally located. We’re right downtown. There’s usually a lot going on, especially on the weekends,” Harko said. “We have our regular customer base because we are not like any other store. We were started by the community and we’ve had members that have been members for years and years, so they know what products we have and they come here regularly. We have a lot of regular shoppers.”

More information on the open house and Kent Natural Food Co-op can be found on the company Facebook and website.

Contact Hannah Gooch at [email protected].