Area malls were packed with customers over the weekend, but experts caution that it’s too early to tell whether the draw was Santa and his reindeer or the desire to spend dollars.
Still, mall operators hope the traffic is a sign that the season may not be as dismal as predicted.
“Shopping is supposed to be fun, and we want to make it entertaining for our customers,” said Aj Coffee, general manager for Town Center at Aurora. “We are just excited about the momentum that seems to be growing already. This tells us it’s very promising, and we’ll take it.”
Not so fast, retail analyst Britt Beemer cautioned about the anecdotal uptick in foot traffic over the weekend.
“You have people out shopping this weekend because retailers did some specials,” he said. “You don’t know how many people are going there to be entertained. There is a difference between being entertained and buying things.”
Consumer Reports National Research Center found that 78 percent of people surveyed plan to spend less this season and 59 percent plan to buy fewer gifts. But 88 percent said this year’s holiday season would be as happy as or happier than last year’s.
Consumers have been depressed by reports about the tanking economy, shrunken investment accounts and job losses, Beemer said. Many are looking for something to cheer them up.
Enter Santa Claus, charitable-giving promotions, singing carolers, hot cocoa and big discounts at area malls.
Santa debuted at the Cherry Creek mall on Saturday — and a half-hour after the shopping center opened, there was a 45-minute wait to see him, said Angela Baier, the manager on duty over the weekend.
Macy’s at Cherry Creek and Park Meadows held a community shopping day, featuring extreme discounts for those who purchased tickets from participating nonprofits. The event drove traffic at both malls.
“There were a lot of bags and a lot of people. Hopefully, that trend continues throughout the holidays,” Baier said. “What I don’t know is if it translated into wallets opening or if it was just people out enjoying the day.”
In addition, Santa arrived at Park Meadows on a fire engine Saturday morning and strolling carolers sang for the first time this season, said Denae Goelitz, common-area coordinator for the mall.
“We’ve always had really great community support in all of the events we have,” she said. “Also, people are starting to gear up for their holiday shopping.”
At FlatIron Crossing, many shoppers made sure to get highly sought-after items because retailers are managing inventory closely, said Heather Drake, senior marketing manager.
“We know that our consumers are pressed right now and retailers understand that, so there are more promotions,” she said. ”
At the Aurora mall, the “Shop Smarter” campaign is letting consumers know about promotional offers; the rejuvenation station is stocked with magazines, newspapers, a TV and comfortable chairs for shopping breaks; and the guest services center is handing out hot chocolate and cider.
“We are just really excited about the holiday,” Coffee said. “We are not sure what to predict.”
Elizabeth Aguilera: 303-954-1372 or eaguilera@denverpost.com
