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The Rus-T-Barn Christmas tree farm is experiencing an unprecedented early rush this season, nearly selling out of all its inventory ahead of Thanksgiving.
Owner Lisa Tobin watched her biggest inventory in the farm's six-year existence disappear quickly. The farm opened Saturday with 215 trees and was down to about 30 within 48 hours.
"It was this rush of people pulling tickets," she said. "We had two tents completely filled, then this is what we're with on Day 2. It is barren... We had the biggest grand opening we've ever had."
Cars lined up, and families piled in. Tobin told KSHB 41 News reporter Ryan Gamboa the Chiefs game provided some relief.
"I just hope we have a great Black Friday because I don’t think we’ll be open much longer after that," Tobin said.
The early demand appears to be driven by multiple factors, including rising prices for artificial trees and a growing preference for supporting local businesses.
According to NPR, artificial tree dealers are warning customers to expect prices 10% to 15% higher this year due to the U.S.-China trade war. Nearly all artificial Christmas trees are imported from China, making them subject to increased tariffs.
"People don't want to pay the high tariffs on that coming in," Tobin said. "I think people are wanting something that is real and natural."
Tobin said getting into the tree business isn't easy. In its first year, Rus-T-Barn stayed open through the middle of December. Now, in its sixth year, customers are increasingly asking the tree farm to open the weekend before Thanksgiving.
While some might ask, "Why don't they just buy more trees?"
"There's some businesses that have been open for 30-plus years," Tobin said. "I think they have some sort of quota to fill, and to get more trees, it's something I'm going to have to make a priority because our business is growing so much. I think we’re starting to get in there where they’re going to start allowing us to have more trees."
Anna-Marie Romero, of Lenexa, said she chose a natural tree this year after considering both cost and environmental factors.
"The cost plus the cost to make, to produce the tree takes a lot of resources. We just thought getting one would be better for the Earth and economically," Romero said. "We thought we would try to beat the rush."
Sarah and Michael Capps, of Shawnee, have learned to arrive early at tree farms.
"We usually have to get here first thing in the morning; they go fast," they said. "I don’t know about the price. They’ve steadily gone up over the years. I just think mainly it’s the experience."
The rush has been so intense some customers are already planning to shop even earlier next year.
"I guess next year, we'll be shopping for trees in October," Romero said with a laugh.
Tobin believes the trend reflects a broader desire to support American-made products.
"I think it is safe to say that people are wanting to support their own. I am proud to be selling an American product for sure," Tobin said.
For those still searching for the perfect tree, Rus-T-Barn offers some simple advice.
"Come get the real thing because it smells beautiful," Tobin said.
At Rus-T-Barn, hot chocolate is free, and you can even grab yourself a hot dog. The goal is to share an experience around a bonfire, curl up by the wood stove in the barn, and take a picture with the Grinch.
It's why the Tobins don't see themselves planting any trees to offset the demand, giving them time to focus on what matters most, the customers.
"It allows us to focus on the people," she said. "We want to give people the same experience we had with our own kids."
On Black Friday morning, Santa Claus is making an appearance at Rus-T-Barn. He'll be around long enough to have a pancake breakfast with the patrons before heading back to the North Pole.
For more information about Rus-T-Barn, click here.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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