.
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Special
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1988
Bull market Shoppers spending more than last year
By Laura Woodward Kansan staff writer
Kansan staff writer
The stock market crash may have scared people from heavy buy-last Christmas, but it's a bull market in downtown Lawrence
Lawrence shoppers are buying more than they did last year, but they are comparing prices carefully and staying away from trendy ones.
"Business has been a lot stronger this year," said Leslie Johnson, owner of The Loft, 742 Massachusetts St. "I'm really optimistic about the season. Consumers are buying, but they're buying everything they competitively downstreet, so people are looking and comparing prices."
Consumers also began Christmas shopping early this year
"It's somewhat comparable to last year. People were really looking early — at least by Thanksgiving," said Jeanette Spencer, saleswoman At The Etc Shop, 732 Massachusetts St.
The pursuit of the perfect present has lured many people downtown, but merchants say there is no "big" item this year.
Pete Whitenight, owner of Whitenight's Men's Shop, 839 Massachusetts St., bulky sweaters, rugby shirts and cotton pre-washed sports shirts were popular gift items.
"The rest is pretty routine: gloves and scarves," he said. "We've had an excellent start this season. We're definitely having a stronger season than last year."
Johnson said items such as watches, scarves, bracelets, earrings and sweaters were selling well at The Loft.
"Fairy dresses, rhinstones amulet gifts also take solveth said," they're not really gift items, but it is definitely the season." She built a owner of Roberts jewelry Inc., 833 Massachusetts. St said he would买 big, expensive jewelry piece this year, which was unusual.
"I've really seen no trends so far, however," he said. "Traditionally, every year we sell a lot of watches, gem stone rings and earrings. Every year we buy new gem stones."
Linda Spinner, manager of Prairiewind Traditionals in the Elkridge Hotel, 703 Massachusetts St., said Diekens villages, lighted by bright lights at night, are part of the community.
She said good gifts for mothers included decorative brass-bronze cardholders, hand towels and coasters. Gifts for fathers included cards, cushions and toys.
"I think consumers are buying more this year," she said. "Price doesn't seem to be as big of a problem as it was last year. We've already done so much business that we can take any more custom orders."
Betsy Welch, a saleswoman at Jayhawk Spirit, 9155 Massachusetts St., said a lot of students had ordered custom dresses.
shirts for family members that read, for example, KC MOSM.
Downtown merchants were divided as to whether the extended semester, which made the last day of finals Dec. 23, would affect sales
"I bet we will have a huge rush on the 23rd," said Koley Shankel, a sales clerk at Raney Drug Store, 921 Massachusetts St. "KU students will want to do their Christmas shopping here instead of home because they won't have enough time."
But Paul Wasson, a salesman at Pennyline Records and Tapes,
914 Massachusetts St., said it wouldn't make much of a difference.
"We always get many sales at the end of the semester, we sell"
"Students come in to buy tapes to listen to while they go home. We might get some extra sales, but I doubt it."
Whatever the gift, Lawrence merchants have been catering to shoppers for the more than 100 years during the Christmas season.
Steve Jansen, director of Watkins Community Museum, 1047 Massachusetts St., said the Lawrence Journal newspaper on Dec. 18, 1888, had an advertisement for Weaver's Inc. Department Store that listed fans, silk umbrellas, kid gloves, black Henrietta dresses with matching silk mittens and paisley shawls as good Christmas gifts.
Christmas carriage
While navigating his carriage through traffic, Bernie Hausherr, Lawrence resident, takes a group on a tour of downtown. The Downtown Lawrence Association is sponsoring the carriage rides
for $10 a trip. Rides are available at Ninth and Massachusetts streets from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays and from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sundays until Dec. 23.
Toy guns are concern as children's Christmas gift
By John P. Milburn
By John P. Milburn
Special to the Kansan
Linda Cripe's 3-year-old son whined and almost tell out of his shopping cart as he reached for a stack of toy shotguns and M-16s.
"Mommy, I want the big one, the big one," Jared said.
"No, Jared. You'll have to ask Sina, maybe he'll bring you one." his mother
Crip stops and picks up a gun to examine it herself.
The manufacture and retail of realistic toy guns was a $150 million industry in 1987. However, since the early 1980s, restrictions have been placed on toy guns as the number of crimes involving toy guns has risen.
Cripe said that Jared did have toy guns at home but that they were not realistic. Her husband and Jared is influenced by him, she said.
"Personally I'm opposed to toy guns," said Cripe, a Topoka resident. "They're
OK if they are not so real looking.
Someone can't tell the difference
real and real.
In 1987, New York City police officers confiscated 1,419 toy guns in criminal
cidents, up 30 percent since 1983.
During August 1988, the New York state Legislature banned the manufacture and sale of realistic toy guns and urged the federal government to follow. Five cities, including Los Angeles, have banned the toy guns. In California, under a law enforcement officer when toy guns were mistaken for the real thing.
No state regulations on the sale or possession of realistic toy gums exist in
On Nov. 5, President Reagan signed an energy management act with an attached amendment requiring manufacturers of real toy cars to distinguish their
Chris Malvonnon, Lawrence police spokesman, said police had responded to a standoff at the intersection.
In 1968, high school students drove through downtown Lawrence shooting their friends and other cars with a toy gun. The police were able to stop the students without injuries.
Mulvenon said the incident was potentially dangerous because the gun was not in sight.
ding toy guns." Mulmenon said. "Our of- ficers are told to be extremely careful and to use their own discretion in dealing with them."
Toy guns are on the shelves of Lawrence stores, including Wal-Mart, 2727 St. L., and K-Mart, 3106 St. K-Mart sells a few models including a collector's series featuring a 9mm Uzi and MT12 Mauser.
Bill Clark, assistant manager of K Mart, said that his store did not have an official policy regarding the sale of toy
"There is not an official policy regar-
Please see TOYS, p. 48, col.1
Live Christmas trees need proper care
Kansan staff writer
By David Stewart
Although many people will piece together an artificial Christmas tree this season, traditional
The proper care for a live Christmas tree begins with picking one that will last all season.
Dave Klein, manager of Earl May Garden Center, 2200 Iowa St., and that the best trees had it
"Locate the trees where they're in shade," he said. "They may be a little drier in the sun, but they'll be fresher in the shade."
Klein said the buyer should know the differences in tree quality.
The trees are graded premium, which are the handpicked trees: first-run, which are the trees that are left after the premium trees are picked, and second-run trees: look good some and look bad some years.
A good way to tell whether the tree has been kept
It's good to have a humidifier in the same room as the tree, especially if you'll be using the fireplace."
Dave Klein
Dave Klein manager, Earl May Garden Center
L.
in shape before buying it is to have the seller cut into the trunk.
"If you get sap, chances are you're in pretty good shape," he said.
Once you've selected the perfect tree and have taken it home, Klein recommends keeping it as cool as possible, like in the garage, until you are ready to set it up.
Once it is inside, Klein said, the tree's water should be checked daily so it doesn't stagnate. Also, he said not to set the tree in front of a heat vent or a fireplace.
"The beat just puts the moisture right out of the air." Klein said. "It's good to have a humidifier in the same room as the tree, especially if you'll be using the fireplace."
Maj) Rich Barr, city fire marshall, suggested that trees be kept away from the fireplace to avoid
"The best thing to do, generally speaking, is to keep the tree watered," Barr said. "It's better to use a reservoir stand; the tree won't dry out as fast."
Barr said that using safety inspected lights was better than using candles, which traditionally were hung on trees.
When it's time to get rid of the tree, Barr said, 'it's best to leave it for the trash collectors, rather than burning it in the fireplace because the fire may get out of control.
As an additional safety measure, Barr suggested using a flame-retardant spray to protect the tree.