W-b Chamber Rips Mcgroarty 
Officials Say The Mayor Isn't Doing Enough To Provide Parking For A Company
Interested In Bringing 350 Jobs To Town.

Anthony Azarowicz 
December 19, 1999

By M. PAUL JACKSON Times Leader Staff Writer
 Tuesday, December 21, 1999 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 9B 





WILKES-BARRE - Just one week before Christmas, and the shoppers are out in
force. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The last weekend before the Christmas holiday brought scores of shoppers to
area stores, retailers said. And as the week comes to an end, the shopping
push will continue, retailers predicted. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; So far ``it's been an excellent sell-through,'' said Darold Lewis, manager
of Michaels, a new arts and crafts store in Wilkes-Barre Township. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The weekend before Dec. 25 typically is the busiest shopping period of the
year, and retailers rely on it to make much of their revenue. Consumers, eager
to finish their Christmas shopping before the 25th, choose that weekend to
shop, they said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``This has been an incredibly busy weekend for retailers,'' said Scott
Krugman, a spokesman for the National Retailers Federation. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A low inflation rate, combined with a healthy job market and an extra day
to shop, has brought consumers out in record numbers - and buying, he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Retail sales for the year could top $180 billion - about a 6 percent
increase, according to the federation. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``It looks like a very favorable time for holiday retailers,'' Krugman
said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Local retailers agreed. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 At the Sears store in Wilkes-Barre Township, business reached its highest
peak of the year on Saturday, officials said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``We're pretty much where we need to be,'' store manager Matt Lashway said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Lashway declined to say how much the store brought in during the Friday to
Sunday weekend but did say ``we exceeded our sales plan.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Internet sales have jumped as well. According to the retailers federation,
selling over the Web was expected to double from last year, bringing Internet
businesses as much as $6 billion in revenue. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But as the Christmas season winds down, fewer consumers are apt to do their
shopping online or by catalog because of fears of shipping and delivery
problems, Krugman said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``People pretty much rely on commercial shopping at this point,'' he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 At the newly opened Pier One Imports home furnishings store in
Wilkes-Barre, the business experienced its best sales day since opening in
November, store managers said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``It was one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year for us,''
Associate Manager Pat Evans said. ``Some of (the customers) actually lined up
and waited for us to open. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``We're just getting a sampling of what (the crowds) are going to be
like.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But not all stores fared so well. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Boscov's in downtown Wilkes-Barre did not see an overly large number of
shoppers this weekend, store manager Brian Cann said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The business drew customers, but its location away from the mall and the
Kidder Street shopping area has reduced the size of weekend crowds, he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Still, as the week comes to an end, more downtown workers shopping during
breaks are expected to turn toward the downtown department store, he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``We should do well right until the 24th (of December),'' Cann said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The extra shopping day also has helped retailers draw consumers. Because
Dec. 25 falls on Saturday this year, businesses have an extra weekday to stay
open, Krugman said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``You're going to see a steady stream of consumers taking advantage of
those off-peak hours,'' he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

... As The Shoppers Rush Home With Their Treasures ... Retailers Find Sales Brisk On Last Weekend Before Christmas