12
University Daily Kansan
Shops prepare for Yuletide rush
One the eye of Halloween, it seems unlikely that anyone would be thinking about Christmas shopping. Lawrence and his staff are excited they prepare for the big shopping season.
"We're just starting to stock Christmas items now." Arthur Cromer, manager of Gibson's Discount Center, 2525 Iowa St., said Tuesday.
"This will be a booming season
year, not so price-conscious this
year," he said.
Joe Flannery, assistant manager of Weavers, Inc., Department Store, 901 Massachusetts St., said that people should show early for the best savings.
"We find quite a few customers Christmas shopping in October, mainly because of the holiday season."
He said he expected a much better return, in the last year, when the recession was in full swing.
CONSUMERS ARE NOT AS PESSIMISTIC as last year, according to Leland Fritchard, a consumer studies professor.
"The last quarter of last year was devastating," he said. "In addition to the power of the economy, the power of the employed was falling sharply. With double digit inflation, the money wages were not keeping up with the price increase in goods and had a demoralizing effect on consumers."
There is still a high inflation rate, he said, around nine per cent, but not like the 12 to 13 inflation.
The innovative and responsive businesses should enjoy greater success this winter, but also because of the economic Lawrence Chamber of Commerce. However, because the economy hasn't completely recovered, shoppers are still more selective and cautious than before, he said.
FLANNERY SAID THAT digital watches, inexpensive calculators and Christmas candies and cheeses should be the most popular items this winter.
According to John Colbank, store manager of K Mart Discount Store, 3106 Iowa St., large stacks of novelty gift items and toys were being received for the next two months. He said that Christmas card items were declining, due to higher postage rates.
There was a notable increase in sales of house plants, Cromer said.
Jim Freeman manager of the Garden in the 15th and New York streets said that in the city, "we don't have more popular as gift items. Hanging plants and decorative pots were the biggest sellers."
"I imagine quite a few plants get frost-tolerant," she said. "Where the people like them, he said.
WITH MORE PLANTS being bought in the winter, Freeman said that people needed to be careful when transporting plants in cold weather.
Because Christmas is one of the peak shopping seasons, a greater variety of gifts can be purchased.
University Floral, 2101. W 28 St. Terr., according to Ted Talmon. owner.
Records are popular as a gift item,
because more people have better stereo
equipment. mdn Klefer, manager of Klef's
studio and Stereo Series. 711 W.
23d St., said.
Kefler said that there were only a few students who have started shopping for Christmas presents at his store. These were the foreign students, or students with friends overseas, who had to buy early for overseas mailing, he said.
of a better shopping season, Steve Flack,
mailed, said.
The stock of records is being increased at Love Records, 15 W. 8th St., in anticipation
For the most part, many students at the
school in Kansas do not have Christmas
shopping on.
"I haven't gotten around to it yet," Warner Leiwka, Topea senior, said. "I don't know what happened." Vilho freshman, was one student who said he had started his holiday shopping.
"Yeah, I bought one present," Thompson said. "I needed the cash, so I went to the bookstore and bought something, so I could check over the amount and get the cash."
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30
KANSAS UNION BALLROOM
The fair affords the University and Lawrence Community the opportunity to visit with representatives from various travel and recreation services, pick up free literature, view free films and recreation demonstrations and attend an information session on foreign travel and study abroad.
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11 a.m.-4 p.m.
9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Free Travel Films in the Council Room. Ballroom Parlors open to the General Public. Displays, Travel Brochures, Representatives from airlines, Local Travel Agencies, AmTrak, Cycle shops, Hang Glider School, Recreation Associations and organizations.
7 p.m.-9 p.m.
Representatives from The Dive Shop, Port Perry Sailcraft, Kansas Trails Council, Kansas Canoe Association, Voyagers, Blackhawk, Gran Sport, Lawrence Toyota, Kansas Audubon Society, K.U. Sail Club, K.U. Canoe Club, and Mount Oread Bike Club will give demonstrations and talks in the Union Ballroom.
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