Late shoppers, late sales likely to converge for Christmas shopping spree this weekend

The typical holiday shopping season has four weekends packed in it between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year, there are five. That calendar rarity has slightly slowed Christmas shopping during the week at Baton Rouge area retail centers, but managers say they expect procrastinators to be shopping heavily this weekend—the last opportunity to do so before Christmas. “I fully expect this weekend to be crazier than past Christmases because people have been putting it off,” says John Taylor, manager of Tanger Outlets in Gonzales, adding that traffic is heavier than last year at the outdoor shopping mall. However, construction for six new stores slated to open in April—J. Crew, Under Armour, Brooks Brothers, American Eagle, Ann Taylor Loft and Talbots—has taken up parking space that is normally available and has made driving conditions tighter. The Mall of Louisiana also expects a very busy weekend, as weekday shoppers have been slightly less numerous this year. Manager Todd Denton says mall sales continue to grow each year, despite a continued increase in online shopping, thanks to the right combination of retailers and merchandise. “We think there’s a lot of shoppers that aren’t done yet,” Denton says. Meanwhile, The Associated Press reports consumers across the country can expect to see more “70% off” and “buy one, get one free” signs this weekend as stores try to salvage a season that so far has been disappointing. Read the full story here. —Adam Pearson