Two days before Christmas, Kronos was bustling with people. Shoppers filled the small gift shop, perusing jewelry, candles and coats and standing in line to purchase last-minute gifts.

As owners Eugenie Mirfin and her mother Claudia Kimball hurriedly helped customers and wrapped presents, the two said they’ve been pleased with the store’s holiday sales, which are stronger this year than a few years ago. But like many other local merchants, they said the holidays are still tough for small businesses on Vashon.

“I don’t think we can count on it being like it was before the recession,” Kimball said.

Many local shop owners reported last week that while sales this holiday season have been fair, they still haven’t recovered from the recession, and they’re feeling the competition of online shopping more and more.

“So many people are shopping online,” said Priscilla Schleigh, who owns Giraffe. “It’s hard to compete with that.”

Still, shoppers have been turning out at the fair-trade gift shop this season, Schleigh said, and holiday sales are about on track with last year. Having a second shop in Tacoma gives the business a little more buying power, she added, and Giraffe recently launched a new online store that’s already gaining traction.

“We’re just generally happy with things,” she said.

At the Vashon Bookshop, owner Nancy Katica struck a less positive tone. Sales at the bookshop have been slower this season than last, Katica said, though she wasn’t sure if online shopping is completely to blame. Like some other merchants, she noted that a late Thanksgiving made for a shortened shopping season, and weather has been nice this month as well.

“I think it snuck up on people,” she said. “I don’t know what it is.”

Karen Eliasen voiced some of the same frustrations and said business at her shop, Vashon Island Music, has struggled this season. Online retail is partly to blame, she said, as she’s spotted shoppers taking pictures of CDs and barcodes in her store. People have even come in to discuss instruments, only to tell her later what they ended up purchasing online.

“More than ever, I feel like an Amazon showroom,” she said.

Indeed, as the economy recovers and holiday sales increase, online shopping continues to grow. This week online sales in the U.S. were on pace to hit an all-time high for the holiday season, rising 16 percent over last year in November and December, according to Bloomberg News. Amazon, UPS and FedEx all hired additional employees to keep up.

“Business is changing, and that’s part of the whole game,” said Sue Shotridge, co-owner of Raven’s Nest. Shotridge credited the sales of some of Raven’s Nest’s Native American art and merchandise through the website Etsy with helping keep the business afloat. Her online sales doubled this holiday season compared with last year, she said, while at the physical shop, numbers are down.

Raven’s Nest’s move to a new storefront in October brought a welcome boost in foot traffic and business, Shotridge said. However, this holiday season they’ve sold fewer of the larger, higher-priced art pieces, which has affected their bottom line.

“I wish our local business was a little bit stronger,” she said. “It’s not as strong as it could be.”

Co-owner Israel Shotridge continues to do commissioned artwork, she said, and the couple is looking to launch their own online store. This year they also plan to open a second shop in Juneau, Alaska.

“We are very diversified. We have to be,” she said. “Vashon doesn’t have enough local business to support a shop like this.”

Some store owners, however, are reporting that changes in business have paid off this shopping season.

Sales are up at The Country Store, where manager Mike Biel revamped the store a couple years ago, improving its presentation and increasing inventory.

Biel said sales doubled the year he took over and are on track to increase about 25  percent more this holiday season.

“Some people say the economy is not improving, so I don’t know if I can go that route,” Biel said. “Just improving some things slightly around here drew more people in.”

Rebecca Wittman also doubled her sales at The President of Me when she moved the clothing shop from Center to a storefront in town this fall. There’s been lots of foot traffic there, she said, and many people who come in looking for gifts end up buying something for themselves, as well.

“It’s going really well for me,” she said, adding that she could be benefitting from the attention that comes along with a new shop in town.

“I have no reference point,” she said. “It’s hard for me to say what it should be because it’s my  first year in this location.”

Jim Marsh, director of Vashon’s chamber of commerce, said he, too, has heard mixed reports about holiday shopping on Vashon. Overall, he believes islanders want to support local businesses, and nationwide, shopping locally is becoming more popular, he said, as evidenced by Small Business Saturday, a nationwide shop local campaign a few days after Thanksgiving that is sponsored by American Express.

“Shopping local is becoming like eating organic,” Marsh said. “It’s something everyone is thinking about.”

However, the biggest sign of an improving business scene on Vashon, Marsh said, is that more shops are keeping their doors open and empty storefronts are being snatched up more quickly. Blooms & Things sold to a local businessman who recently opened a floral shop there, and a new art gallery and gift shop is soon to open in the former Raven’s Nest space.

“When you see empty storefronts,” he said, “that’s when you know things aren’t good in a retail core.”