Retailers hope to receive Merry Christmas … early
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go.
While Halloween decorations of cobwebs and jack-o-lanterns have barely come down from doorsteps and lawns, many retailers have already frosted storefronts, hung white lights and decorated Christmas trees, weeks earlier than in years past.
And Santa? He’s here early, too — arriving Saturday morning at the Westfield Fox Valley mall in Aurora, which is decked out with a gleaming 35-foot Christmas tree.
The ever-important fourth quarter for retailers may be more grueling than ever this year, as consumers cut back on spending during a lagging economy. From the Fox Valley mall and Chicago Premium Outlets, to discount stores like Kmart in Montgomery and locally owned Just Because gift shop in Oswego, holiday displays and merchandise are out in full force, with the hopes of drawing in customers.
“We try to do the fall (season) up until the last minute, but it is kind of hard to maneuver around the two holidays,” said Vicki Moore of Just Because, who was arranging the store’s winter items late last week.
Like many retailers, the owners of Just Because have decided to start holiday sales earlier. In doing so, they hope to showcase items for the cost-conscious shopper, like gift baskets filled with candies, mugs or paper and bath products, from as low as $15 to as high as $200 or $300.
“We’re lucky because we can adapt to many different needs,” owner Lynn Amoni said.
Two boutiques in downtown Yorkville, the Blue Orchid Studio and Vignettes, launched their holiday displays the weekend of Halloween.
“It gets earlier and earlier every year. A lot of major department stores put their stuff out earlier, and everybody is trying to get a jump on that,” Blue Orchid owner Leslie Kritzberg said.
The extremely early Christmas reminder may have paid off, though. She said foot traffic inside the eclectic gift store was down the past few weeks after news of the crashing stock market, but has since returned.
