Jeff Cassels' jewelry store, falling real estate values and rising gold prices are more than news headlines — they are contributors to an uncertain holiday season.

This season finds independent retailers across the country dealing with a new set of economic challenges even as they still contend with growing competition from big-box retailers like Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Borders Inc. That means merchants are being pressed more than ever to capitalize on what sets them apart from the rest of the retail universe — merchandise that's unique and well-suited to a store's clientele, and customer service that's beyond the ordinary.

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