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jjHaiilMa March 24 - 30, 2016 » Page 17 A
Girls’ dresses are the biggest sellers for Happy Land, a children’s special occasion retailer and
wholesaler. Photos by Kathy Mitchell
Easter-themed baskets are among the items available at Happy
Land.
The Doraville shop carries such accessories as girls’
headpieces and boys’ ties.
Easter sales give clothing sellers reason to welcome spring
by Kathy Mitchell
Despite the fact that
2016 brings an early Easter
with the holiday coming just
a week after the first day of
spring, consumers are still
expected to celebrate with
special meals, new spring
clothing, gifts, flowers and
other purchases, according
to a survey recently
released by the National
Retail Federation (NRF).
Easter spending this
year is expected to reach
a 13-year high of $17.3
billion or $146 per person
nationally, reports NRF,
a national association of
retail businesses such
as grocers, department
stores, restaurants, home
goods stores and other
enterprises. The figures
represent a significant
increase from last year’s
$140.62 per person and
$16.4 billion total.
According to the
survey, approximately $3
billion will be spent on
Easter clothing, especially
clothing for children—the
second highest spending
category—as families
prepare for holiday outings.
The survey indicated that
57.8 percent will visit family
and friends, 51.3 percent
will go to church and
15.6 percent will go to a
restaurant.
The tradition of dressing
children in fancy new
spring outfits for Easter
provides an annual boost to
businesses such as Happy
Land, a Doraville company
selling special occasion
clothing for children.
“We do have retail
sales, but most of our
business is wholesale,”
said Hae Park, owner of
Happy Land. “We sell to
department stores, mostly in
small towns—not just here
in Georgia, but also in North
Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Florida,
Alabama—really all over the
United States.”
He said orders have
been coming in briskly
this year. While Happy
Land also offers children’s
clothing for weddings,
pageants, christenings and
other special occasions,
sales at Easter are
especially strong, according
to Park.
Happy Land first
opened as a small shop in
downtown Atlanta 27 years
ago. It now sells more than
a million children’s outfits
each year, Park said. The
business has been on
Buford Highway in Doraville
for the past 25 years.
While girls’ dresses are
the most popular items,
the business also carries
accessories such as shoes,
underwear, purses and
jewelry. It offers a line
of boys’ suits, including
tuxedoes, and infant
clothing as well.
“We believe that a
dress shop should have
everything customers need
for their children’s special
day in affordable and high
quality products,” the Happy
Land website states. The
store offers clothing for
children through age 14.
Park, who moved to the
United States from his native
Korea 35 years ago, said
he went into the children’s
clothing business on the
recommendation of a friend
who has a similar business
in Baltimore. It has remained
a family business with Park’s
wife, sons and other family
members making up most of
the office staff.
While fashions come
and go, lacy, frilly girls’
dresses continue to be big
sellers, Park said. “We go to
the trade shows where we
choose our merchandise,
and this is what we see,” he
noted. “Mothers still like to
dress their little girls in satin,
organza, taffeta and other
fancy materials. Pastels and
bright colors continue to
sell well for spring. Parents
like seeing their little boys
in suits and ties, looking
like little gentlemen. We
are proud to offer high-
quality clothing that parents
are unlikely to find other
places.” Park said.
NRF states that
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consumers at all budget
levels are likely to spend
extra at Easter. The highest
spending category is
food, for which Americans
are expected to spend
$5.5 billion this Easter.
Other major categories
are gifts—$2.7 billion;
candy—$2.4 billion; and
flowers $1.2 billion.
NRF President and
CEO Matthew Shay states
that Easter is “the beginning
one of [retailers’] busiest
times of year.” In addition to
Easter buying, consumers
tend to shop for other lighter
clothing, sports equipment,
garden tools and home
goods for outdoor use as
the weather turns warmer.
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