Jan 3, 2008

Retailers Use January for RechargeBy Mickey MeeceNYTimes.com

Fresh off 80-hour workweeks in a sprint for holiday sales, it is little wonder that some entrepreneurs are escaping for a precious few days of sun and relaxation.

“If you’re constantly pushing, pushing, pushing,” said Jeffrey Golden of BearHands & Buddies, which sells animal-inspired clothing and accessories, “you’re going to end up losing sight of what you need to do.” Mr. Golden and his family are headed to Aruba on Friday.

Ridgely Evers and his wife, Colleen McGlynn, of DaVero, a maker of olive oil and other specialty food items, left for Mexico on the day after Christmas.

“They are the lucky ones,” points out Joel R. Evans, a marketing professor at the Zarb School of Business at Hofstra University. “The typical small retailer can’t afford to do that.”

Still, for many small-business owners, the weeks after Christmas and New Year are time to recharge after the adrenaline rush of the holiday season gives way to an emotional letdown. Some entrepreneurs decompress at home; others, if they can, squeeze in a vacation.

The letdown could be more intense than usual if, as retail consultants expect, sales slowed markedly in the 2007 holiday season. Burt P. Flickinger III, managing director at the Strategic Resource Group in New York, for one, expects sales were 1.7 percent to 2.3 percent higher than 2006 for all retailers. Other estimates range from 3 to 4 percent higher.

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