THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 26, 1994 TAG: 9411260096
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH AND PERRY PARKS, STAFF WRITERS
LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
Bonnie Jones, sales manager at the Farmer's Daughter, an Outer Banks gift and collectibles shop, had one word to sum up business on the first full day of the Christmas buying season.
``Booming. It's just booming,'' she said.
The Nags Head business is not alone. As in the rest of the country, merchants in northeastern North Carolina gleefully listened to the jingle of cash registers Friday as the Christmas shopping season began with brisk sales.
Economists are predicting a 6 percent to 7 percent increase in Christmas sales over last year. And based on early reports, those numbers are on the money.
``We've got a real crowd here,'' Jones said Friday afternoon. ``It's been pretty steady all day long.''
Christmas items, decorative flags and crafted Christmas villages are hot items, she said.
Jones said the store opened on Thanksgiving Day and had a good flow of customers. The store lengthened its business days through the long weekend, to accommodate the growing number of tourists who spend the holiday atthe Outer Banks.
Other businesses reported solid first-day showings.
``We've got people lined up halfway down the mall to see Santa Claus,'' Outer Banks Mall Manager Kay Holt said. ``Shoppers were here early this morning, and so far, business has been really good.''
Holt said stores at the mall have adjusted their schedules to accommodate holiday shoppers.
``We're going to be open Monday through Saturday from 10 until 9, and 10 until 5 on Sundays.''
The mall will use a variety of tools to attract shoppers to its stores, Holt said, including magicians, local choirs and crafts such as gingerbread houses made by local schoolchildren.
At Belk's, one of the area's larger retailers, the story was much the same. Big crowds flocked to the Kill Devil Hills and Elizabeth City store locations.
``This is the biggest day since the store opened at this location,'' said Tim Shearin, manager of Belk's Kill Devil Hills store, which opened in 1990. ``We're 20 percent ahead of where we were last Christmas. I've talked to the managers at other Belk's locations in eastern North Carolina, and everybody's having a good day.''
Shearin said a combination of factors may be at work that contribute to the strong after-Thanksgiving showing.
``I don't know if it's confidence in the economy, the election, the Christmas spirit or what it is. But business is going well.''
Shearin said consumers are looking for value.
``Whether it's men's clothing or women's clothing, or whatever it is, people are looking for good value. They're looking for things that will last,'' he said.
Belk's opened its doors to holiday shoppers at 7 a.m., three hours before its regular time. ``We had about 50 people at the front door when we opened. ``That's a good crowd.''
In Elizabeth City, Friday traffic was heavy, parking lots were filled like Christmas stockings and downtown workers spent the afternoon putting last-minute decorative touches on storefronts.
Main Street sparkled with tinseled trees and billowing banners, in anticipation of the evening's lighting celebration. Costumed children skipped through the streets, hours before the parade that marks the ``Celebration of Light and Song.''
Hundreds turned out at 6 p.m. for the city's official lighting ceremony and proceeded down Main Street to welcome Santa Claus who arrived by boat at 6:30 p.m.
``Been a great day thus far, and probably going to get busier,'' said Lynn Mathis of The Main Thing, which specializes in gourmet food and gifts. ``I am hoping, and certainly anticipating, one of our best years.''
Employees, dressed like elves, passed out candy canes and balloons at Clown `N' Around costumes, where business was also brisk.
The day's spirit brought out some who had never braved the day-after-Thanksgiving rush before.
``I stay home because I hate the crowds,'' said Marilyn Nooney, happily traipsing down Main Street. On Friday, she was ``having a ball.''
KEYWORDS: CHRISTMAS SHOPPING RETAIL SALES
by CNB