Northern business waiting for the Christmas rush

Businesses in Speightstown have reported “moderate” Christmas sales so far for 2019 and they are hoping that the pace picks up as December 25 approaches.

When a Barbados TODAY team visited the northern town this morning, store owners and employees reported that while they understood that Bridgetown had been busy over the past couple weeks, they could not say the same for Speightstown.

Supervisor at FASHIONATION Ava Seewah said from her experience working in Speightstown she knew there would be a frequent flow of customers starting next week.

“I would say that it is okay for now. You would mostly see a lot of people on Saturdays right now. But I find that usually in Speightstown when it is coming on to the last two weeks of Christmas and the last week, that is when you see more and more people coming. Even a few days before Christmas you just get a flood of people coming through,” Seewah said.

Shelly Yearwood at All Seasons Boutique said she was not surprised at the slow sales for the season, since Barbadians tend to be last minute shoppers.

She said from interacting with customers she also believed people have been looking at the economy and intend to purchase only what they need at the right time.

“People will try to get here next week or week after next. I can’t complain because you will get what is for you. People have been coming and looking at our floor mats and shower curtains and stuff like that.

“Everybody just trying to do what they can because we got to prepare for next year too. I think people should just spend wisely. If you need it buy it, if you don’t just forget about it. But I am looking forward to that Christmas Eve rush,” Yearwood said.

Fruit and vegetable vendor Trevor Sam indicated that sales were as slow as they had been in recent months. He noted that at this time in 2018 there were more tourists and locals moving through Speightstown enjoying their Christmas shopping, while taking in the town’s rich heritage.

“That is not what we are seeing right now. I wish it could have been more but you just got to go with the flow and watch what is happening coming onto the end of the month and into January and hope that next year is better than this year,” Sam said.

A jewelry maker in the northern shopping area said she was surprised that her business and others were yet to enjoy Christmas sales so close to the holidays.

“Just now it will be Christmas Eve so I am surprised at how Speightstown look right now. But we have to wait and see what will happen next week. I already have my Christmas stock in place,” she noted.

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb