Jun 28, 2009

Many retailers bullish on July 4 weekendBy Victoria GuayCitizen.com

Despite the recession and a mostly rainy and cool June, area retailers’ economic forecasts are not all doom and gloom.

Nancy Kyle, president and CEO of the Retail Merchant’s Association of New Hampshire, said sales are “all over the place” among member businesses.

“Some retailers are barely hanging on while others are doing better than last year,” she said. “There is no rhyme or reason to it.”

Kyle said tourism-based retailers and other business reported slow sales during Laconia Motorcycle Week, a circumstance likely due to the rainy weather more than anything else.

While the weather was bad luck for some businesses, sales were up at indoor malls, because people came in out of the rain to shop, Kyle said.

If the sunny weather holds through the Fourth of July Weekend, retailers should do well, she said.

Eric Proulx, general manager at Tanger Outlet Center in Tilton, said most of the factory outlet stores within the center continue to do well.

“Despite the economic outlook Tanger continues to stand in a good position,” he said. “Traffic and sales continue to remain steady, with a variety of stores reporting positive sales gains versus last year.”

The increased sales were due in part to a strong Memorial Day Weekend, he said.

“If the success of Memorial Day Weekend is any indication of the upcoming summer season, we are optimistic that our center and merchants will continue to see positive gains,” he said.

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