Bridgetown’s boutiques and beauty salons were seeing a spike in trade on Thursday as residents and tourists prepared for a busy Grand Kadooment — but not all business owners were feeling the festival buzz.
Barbados TODAY visited several city establishments where owners described packed schedules, last-minute shoppers and long hours.
Sarah Scott, owner of World War Beauty Lounge, said she has been overwhelmed for months.
“Business is really overbooked for even the previous three months. All up until August 20th, I’m booked to the point I work seven o’clock in the morning, [to about ten,” she said.
“I try to accommodate outstanding clients in terms of their schedule and mine also, because I’m also human. I want to attend some of the Crop Over events, so I need rest for those.”
At Jason’s Clothing & Accessories on Swan Street, owner Thandru Thani said while Crop Over sales weren’t what they once were, business was still solid.
“The Crop Over season is not what it used to be before, but people are spending money when they need to go somewhere on certain occasions,” he said. “We have been blessed always and grateful to God. Whatever He sends for us, we are very, very grateful for it.”
He said demand fluctuates based on the number of events and how much people can afford to spend: “You will get the ups and downs in business, but that’s what business is about nowadays.”
Thani noted that while some shoppers plan weeks in advance, others still wait until the last minute.
But at JT’s Beauty Spot, also on Swan Street, the owner, Jen, said the atmosphere does not quite feel like Crop Over.
“Based on what has been happening, it doesn’t feel like Crop Over. It just feels normal,” she said. “You don’t have that feeling of like it’s Crop Over and people coming in and going out for Crop Over.”
“It’s not that we’re not seeing a lot of sales, but it’s like normal. It isn’t more than normal.”
The boutique offers beauty items, shoes and some school supplies. “School is right around the corner. So people mainly are coming for school stuff, and tourists are coming for their stuff.”
At City Centre Mall, hairstylist Keziah Sandiford reported strong demand.
“Business is coming along well. People are making their appointments, they’re coming in,” she said. “They’re having mostly braids and stuff done — styles that last long and look good for the summer, especially curls.”
To keep up, the salon has extended its hours: “We usually work from seven to five, but for the season, we have been going to like six, seven. Once we have people, we’re definitely going to be here working.”
(LG)
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