Some people procrastinate. Others have to work. And others rack their brains until inspiration strikes and the perfect gift presents itself. But whatever the reason, Golden Triangle stores are buzzing with Christmas shoppers until the last minute this year.
In downtown Columbus, Gloria Herriott, owner of Hollyhocks Gift Shop, has noticed a recurring Christmas theme.
“On Christmas eve I see more men in my shop than I do the entire rest of the year,” she said.
No surprise there. Perpetually late males were on the town Thursday as well, looking to find the right gift for their special ladies.
Victor Melton of West Point spent an hour walking around JC Penney in Leigh Mall with an idea of what he wanted to buy a girlfriend, but had yet to see the perfect outfit.
“I really wasn”t sure what to get her at this point. I just recently got an idea but it changed a few times,” he said as he ambled through ladies wear.
Traveres Malone of Noxubee County was also in Leigh Mall. He had big-ticket gifts in mind for two girls, but was looking for extras to go along with them.
“I”ve got to get my baby girl a laptop (computer) and my older girl a laptop,” he said.
Although Malone”s youngest daughter is just 4, he had his marching orders to secure a fully functional laptop. No toys.
“That”s what she told me she wanted for Christmas,” said Malone.
Larry Feeney of Columbus was honest when asked why he waited until Thursday to pick up a few gifts for his daughter.
“I suppose it”s just procrastination,” he said.
Ladies out shopping Thursday had better excuses. Orene Rowson, a nurse from Columbus, works long hours, including Christmas day. She celebrated one Christmas Thursday night at one person”s house and has another scheduled for tonight.
Linda Smith, who was in Walmart with her grandson Jayquan, 4, encountered a rarely-mentioned Christmas scenario which probably happens more often than most people think.
“I didn”t want to come to the store. I wasn”t going to do no shopping at all but everybody else bought so I went on and started buying, too,” she said.
Kenisha Cox, also in Walmart with her son Kelton, 6, couldn”t bring herself to stop shopping.
“This is stuff I wasn”t going to buy but decided at the last minute to get a few more items,” she said.
Businesses are enjoying the continued cash flow, regardless of the stories behind it.
“I think we”ve definitely recovered from the recession,” said Herriott.
Lex Jackson, owner of Reed”s of Columbus, has seen North Face and Patagonia products fly off the racks, but says there”s plenty in stock to keep customers satisfied. Ugg boots and Tom”s shoes may not be available in every style in every size, but inventory certainly isn”t hurting.
In fact, none of the shoppers interviewed expressed trouble finding the gifts they wanted.
In Starkville, shoppers apparently wanted sweaters.
“Sweaters are kind of back,” said George Sherman, owner of George Sherman”s Clothiers. “They took a vacation for a while, but now people are wearing them again.”
Sherman says his store is experiencing one of its best ever Christmas seasons. Around the corner from George Sherman”s on Main Street, Polka Tots owner Jamie Elliott”s sales have increased by 50 percent this Christmas season.
Brianna Gayle, manager of Libby Story in Starkville, has seen coats and cowboy boots snatched up this year.
“We”ve had a lot of last-minute shoppers,” Gayle said. “It”s been going really well.”
In addition to lingering late, the Christmas season also started early for Sisters Fine Clothing in Starkville. Co-owner Robin Jones attributes that to canny marketing.
“I think Starkville did a great job of trying to get people to shop locally, and we”ve seen a lot of that here this year,” she said.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
