CHARLESTON, W. Va. — This Thanksgiving, those looking for the perfect gift for a loved one or just for the best deals will their eyes toward all the stores celebrating the start of the Holiday shopping season.
“Everybody’s very excited and already in the hustle bustle of the Holiday season and it’s upon us as we gather with friends and family and share some great food. We’re also are clipping the newspaper and looking online for the greatest deals of the season.”
Lisa McCracken, Marketing Director at the Charleston Town Center Mall, wouldn’t predict any sales numbers for Thursday and Friday shopping, but said reports and numbers from early in November indicate it could be a good couple of days.
“It looks like the International of Shopping Centers is saying that there will be a nice increase this year in Holiday shopping,” she said. “What I have seen and what I can tell you is our traffic and business in the month of November has been strong already in these first two weeks.”
Previously, the start of the shopping season was marked by the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday. However, in the past few years, stores began opening on Thanksgiving, offering enticing deals to draw people out.
McCracken credits this as a direct response to consumer demand.
“Certainly, there not going to open if nobody’s there,” she said. “It will be very interesting for everyone in the industry to observe this year to see just how many shoppers do love those early doorbusters and if the retailers indeed are giving great incentives to get everyone out and about early.”
Those retailers are aiming this year to get everyone out and about earlier.
“Last year, Charleston Town Center opened at 8 p.m. to stay competitive with all the other retailers in the area and this year, we find ourselves opening two hours earlier,” McCracken said. “We will open the mall, officially, at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.”
The mall’s garages and doors will open earlier, around 4 p.m., and will remain open until 10 p.m. on Friday.