Newspaper Page Text
Perimeter Business
A monthly section focusing on bajlnejj in the Reporter News papers communities
Retailers face shorter shopping season
George Lawes, behind
the desk, owner of Kudzu
Antiques, and manager
Peggy Horne, chat at the
Sandy Springs store while
employee Tommy Orr
hangs Christmas lights.
The store is readying its
interior in anticipation
of the holiday shopping
season. Lawes said
his store will try and
enhance a customer’s
shopping experience by
holding special events,
and offering music and
refreshments. He hopes
people will shop at “brick
and mortar” retailers like
his and support the local
community.
By Dan Whisenhunt
People who put off holiday shopping until the last
possible moment might want to check their calen
dars.
Retailers are checking theirs.
The holiday shopping season, beginning on the
day after Thanksgiving, which has come to be known
as Black Friday, will be six days shorter this year. 2013
offers the shortest holiday shopping season in recent
memory.
Dane Seibert, a retail consultant who lives in San
dy Springs, said many stores began their holiday pro
motions earlier this year. The continued growth of In
ternet sales has put added pressure on retail stores,
particularly local ones.
"They're going to have to get really creative.
They're also going to fight Internet sales, which are
growing substantially," Siebert said. "If they haven't
already got their plans started, they're already be
hind."
In the Perimeter and throughout the country, re
tailers are looking for ways to attract more custom
ers during the shortened shopping window. Some of
the nation's largest retailers, including Walmart and
JCPenney, planned to open on Thanksgiving Day.
Online retailers will be competitive this year, too.
According to a study by the Adobe Digital Index, the
shorter shopping window will cost retailers $1.5 bil
lion in online sales.
George Lawes, owner of Kudzu Antiques in San
dy Springs, said his business will hold special events
throughout the season to bring people through the
doors. There will be music and refreshments.
Lawes hopes Kudzu can attract civic-minded cus
tomers who support local businesses.
"As bricks-and-mortar retailers, we're continu
ing to fight for the consumer's choice because of the
Internet," Lawes said. "So many people now buy
through the Internet. One thing that we feel is impor
tant is for people to support local brick and mortar
retailers that are locally owned. We hope more con
sumers will value that choice, because if everybody
shops at Amazon, you're not going to have any stores
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
Q&A: Season to give
-11 Southern-inspired
-12 Ribbon cuttings
-13
It may seem 'old-
fashioned' to some,
collecting mone
tary donations in
red buckets, but it
has been working
for The Salvation
Army for many,
many years.
Emmie How
ard took her
love of 'preppy
aesthetic' and
turned it into a
clothing line for
the 'Southern
gentleman.'
Companies
serving up ham
burgers and deli
sandwiches as
well as provid
ing financial ser
vices are making
their mark in the
Perimeter business community.
