Metro-area stores were less frenzied Saturday, but shoppers continued a buying spree that analysts said bodes well for retailers.
Holly Gray and 2-year-old son Alex avoided the stores Friday but ventured out Saturday to purchase holiday DVDs at the Glendale SuperTarget.
Gray, of Denver, planned to take Alex home for lunch before the pair hit the mall.
Dayna Castanedo, who recently moved to Denver from Mississippi, finished most of her holiday shopping Friday but went back out Saturday to purchase household items. Before long, 28-year-old Castanedo found herself in the Christmas aisle, placing ornaments shaped like music notes into her basket.
SuperTarget manager Denise Lint said business at the store was steadily picking up and would likely be on par with Friday, excluding the early-morning hours when bargain shoppers were out in force.
Lint predicted that sales of food and holiday decor would be strong Saturday, while toys and electronics led the day Friday.
“Trim and lights will be going up because it’s warm and people obviously will be out decorating,” she said.
Saturday’s slower start
At Cherry Creek mall, business appeared slow in the early hours but began picking up as the day progressed. The line to see Santa grew steadily and customers with shopping bags began filling the center.
Saturday’s slower start was in sharp contrast to Friday’s frenzy, with bleary-eyed customers lining up before dawn for early-bird discount-store bargains.
Hundreds lined up Friday at Circuit City in the Northfield Stapleton retail complex, then rushed into the store as it opened at 5 a.m. Judy Brown of Denver got in line at 3 a.m. to buy a 52-inch HDTV for about a thousand dollars.
“It’s not fun,” she said. “It’s freezing. We’re hungry. We gotta use the bathroom.”
But many shoppers said the deep discounts were worth losing sleep over. Many also went online, causing temporary crashes of Wal-Mart’s website and Amazon.com.
Noi Phimmasorn, 26, of Aurora was shopping before the sun rose Friday and had most of her gifts purchased by 10 a.m. She and her daughter, Leah, 7, went to Wal-Mart at 5 a.m., Target at 6 a.m. and then rambled to a nearby Macy’s to buy luggage advertised at a rock bottom price.
That’s where their luck ran out. “It was sold out,” she recounted while browsing at Costco on South Havana Street.
While the day after Thanksgiving generally doesn’t rank as the busiest shopping day of the year, one analyst predicted that this year it could top the charts.
“I think Friday will be the biggest shopping day of the year because of all the big-ticket buys,” said Britt Beemer, chairman of America’s Research Group, based in Charleston, S.C. “It was incredible the number of things people were buying. Clearly TVs are the hot item this year.”
Joyce Chavez, 31, of Northglenn, and 4-year-old Aireona stood in line Friday to visit Santa at FlatIron Crossing mall in Broomfield. Afterward, Chavez was quite certain of her intentions. “I’m going to spend more this year. I’m going to go nuts.”
Chavez attributed her enthusiasm to the improving economy and a cheerful holiday spirit.
Spending rush welcome
That kind of free-spending enthusiasm is welcome news to retailers who count on holiday purchases for the bulk of their annual business.
Gary Horvath was encouraged by the number of bags customers carried home over the holiday weekend. Horvath is managing director of the business research division at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Amanda Hildebrandt, 35, of Arvada scored big at Macy’s. Through a combination of markdowns, percent-off promotions and coupons, she paid $1.50 for a $65 purse.
Other customers said the sales were less than inspiring.
Teika Southall spent about $600 at Circuit City, Target and Wal-Mart by 7:30 a.m. Friday, but said the bargains were disappointing.
Staff writer Kristi Arellano can be reached at 303-954-1902 or karellano@denverpost.com.
Staff writers Stephen Keating, Tom McGhee, Aldo Svaldi, Andy Vuong and Kelly Yamanouchi contributed to this report.
