This year, more and more retail stores decided to open even earlier on Black Friday, with some even opening on Thanksgiving day, to get a jump on the holiday shopping season. As a result, Hawaii retailers have reported strong sales and consistent traffic to the stores. Fred Paine, the general manager for Pearlridge Center, stated, "There were tons of people waiting to get in, and once we opened the doors, almost all the stores had a line. I had a hard time just navigating the common areas because there are just so many people. It just feels more vibrant, more energy, more people. I'm very encouraged that this will be a great holiday season."
Scott Creel, the senior marketing manager for the Ala Moana Center, added, "What helped us the most is the fact that we had Macy's opening on Thursday and more than 60 stores open at midnight. Macy's opening at 8 (p.m.) with door-busters brought in easily thousands of people. We probably had as much, if not more, traffic as last year because we've got a longer selling period. It took the pressure off people trying to fulfill their shopping within a typical 15-hour day. It added another six hours to the shopping day."
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 11-30-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
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