Hawaii stores expect busy holiday season - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

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The optimism expressed by some Hawaii merchants is in direcf contrast tothe Mainland, where retailers are bracing for a slowet season than last year, with high gas prices and a housingt crisis that's left many cautious about opening their "I think in Hawaii we're still a little bit stronger than the nation in general," said Ron general manager of . "I think we'lol do better than the rest ofthe country." This the issued its forecast for the upcoming season, and it wasn't very The Washington, D.C.-based organization predicts growth of 4 perceny over 2006 sales, the lowest forecast since 2002. Actual growthy that year was just 1.
3 American households are projected tospend $619.51 each on gifts and holidayt decorations, up from $603.8y6 last year. The nationaol retailers' group defines the holidayt shopping season as the months of November and although for many shoppers the starting gun fires the morninhgafter Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday. "The bottomm line is that while consumerswill spend, they will actuallhy be spending a little bit more said spokeswoman Kathy Grannis.
"We see luxuryy retailers being the winnerx this year because their shoppersz are not as impacted by economicx factors such as gas pricex and the housing market and But the same could be said abouyHawaii shoppers, according to some store ownerds who expect sales to be as good as last year or based on what they've seen "We've already started putting out said Michael Cummins, co-owner of at Ward Centre, whicnh sells unique Christmas ornaments each holiday season, alonfg with its chocolates.
"That has already been sellingbreally well, so I'm hoping for a very good expects sales at its eight Oahu stores to be stronged than last year, in part because its storesx at Pearlridge Center and the newlh renovated Windward Mall are both larger than last "Having the right merchandise and a wide selection of productsx at the right price is key," said Marketing Director Lani Although optimistic, most retailers say it is hard to predictr exactly how much business they'll see. "It really is hard to said Reid Fujita, owner, with his wife Jonelle, of Cinnamonh Girl, a dress, accessories and giftsx retailer.
"We had years that we thoughtr would be soft and it turned out to be a bannere holiday and we had yearas that we thought would be a banner year that turnecd out tobe flat." Kahala Mall merchants are expecting this year to be jollier than last year, when the mall was still recoveringt from a flood nine months The movie theaters were closed until December, and then only partiallhy opened. The Apple Store stilll was under construction and theree were severalunoccupied "This year we don't have any of those dark so that helps traffic and the general Yoda said.
All eighr theaters have since re-opened, along with the Appl Store, and just this week, Cinnamon Girl openefd a holiday store in the former BananRepublic space. Next door Santa's Pen, a locak company that specializes in customizedftree ornaments, is getting ready to open in a spacse that's twice as large as the formed Zales jewelry store it leasedc at Kahala Mall last holiday season. "I think we'res going to do better than last year," said Gaye Kaupiko, who, with husban Brian, owns Kahala Kids at Kahal Mall.
"Our numbers have been up since the beginning of the Not so at AlaMoana Center, whicj is in the end stages of a major construction project that has bisected the parking lots on the Kapiolani Boulevarx side of the mall. Ala Moana also has been hurt by the downturbn in Japanese tourism and a shif t in shopping patterns byyounger Japanese, who are now looking for the kind of bargaind offered by Wal-Mart. "The feeling in the local market seems to feel bettef than it does in thevisitor market," said Kim vice president of the retail servicews division at Colliers Monroe Friedlander. "Thee visitor market is pulling back alittlee bit.
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