Barbadians took advantage of the start of Sunday shopping for the Christmas season in The City yesterday.
The usually quiet streets were abuzz with the chatter of customers filing in and out of stores, but a far cry from the rush and bumper crowds as Christmas Day draws closer.
For Tiffany Murray, it was the perfect opportunity to do her Christmas shopping without the congestion that comes later in the month.
“This is the first Sunday, so we try to get home before the crowd comes. Right now Town is empty today so the early birds got the fresh worm,” she said.
Murray said she and her family usually do their shopping early, following a tradition of looking for curtains and matching sheets at the start of the season.
Dian Parris also moved to avoid the rush, adding it was all about getting the essentials and spending wisely this Yuletide season.
Colleen Taylor said she likes it “when the streets are less crowded. It’s much more comfortable and it isn’t as hot and as confused”.
Steady climb
Some proprietors reported that while it was still too early to tell if the Christmas season will be a fruitful one, sales have been steadily climbing.
“Compared to last year, its kind of slow, but now it’s picking up. We have sales up to 25 per cent off and we’re looking forward to the next week,” said Abdul Kazi, owner of Kazi’s Discount on Swan Street.
“As you know, Bajans like last-minute and we expect sales coming forward,” he added.
Vendor Nicole Boyce, whose business Nikki J’s Fashion Boutique is stationed along Swan Street, said Bajans were buying but without too much fanfare.
“Today is the first Sunday but it’s not that busy. The streets are quiet still, so the next Sunday will be a bit better,” she said.
At Bridgetown Duty Free on Broad Street, managing director of Broad Street Men’s & Women’s designer wear Evans Husbands said: “It is a little after Independence and it’s a little early now to predict the amount of people we will have, but today is a trial start. We expect that customers will come to Town with our late opening hours and they can expect good service.”
Managing director of Abed’s, Eddy Abed, said the early sales were positive as customers took advantage of the slow pace to window shop before committing to a purchase.
“It resonates well with our customers, and we’re seeing more and more. It’s not a day necessarily where people purchase, but certainly they come to see, make up their minds and then complete their purchase during the week,” he said. (JRN)
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