Dec 29, 2009

Evidence grows of upswing in retailBy Samantha Maziarz ChristmannBuffaloNews.com

If the crowds seemed thicker this year as you did your holiday shopping, that’s because they probably were.

Hard numbers won’t be available until individual retailers report sales in early January, but local retailers are expecting a rise in holiday shopping receipts over last year. Though retailers stress that it is still “way too early to tell” for sure that sales have improved, anecdotal evidence is encouraging.

“People were spending cautiously, but they did spend,” said Betsey Bonvissuto, marketing director at Boulevard Mall in Amherst.

“We had a great burst on Black Friday, and we’ve seen very steady traffic ever since. We’ve seen more life in the mall this year than we did last year, so we’re optimistic.”

John Ecklund, general manager of Walden Galleria in Cheektowaga, agreed.

“Many of our tenants have reported that sales are up and have been since Black Friday,” he said. “So far this holiday season, the numbers have been positive, and I think the retailers are all pretty satisfied.”

Last year, in the midst of the recession, retail numbers were down dramatically. But local retailers fared better than the national average, with receipts remaining flat or decreasing slightly here while stores elsewhere were experiencing steep declines.

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