The Tribune

By NATARIO McKenzie

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

IF the sale of Christmas trees and the like are a reliable gauge of overall holiday spending, retail sales this season could be mixed.

Phil Lightbourne, owner of the Gladstone Road-based retail/wholesale operation, Phil’s Food Services, said Christmas tree sales were good.

“Sales have been good. I already sold four 40-foot containers. Anywhere from 700-800 trees come in those containers. This is my first time doing it. I did what I had to do. I gave the Bahamian a better price margin this year than they were getting in previous years,” Mr Lightbourne told Tribune Business.

Sawyer’s Fresh Market, another retailer which sold Christmas trees this season, also saw positive results. “Sales have been going good. We actually don’t have any trees left. We sold all of our Christmas trees this past weekend,” an employee told this newspaper.

The story was not the same for all sellers, however. One retailer told Tribune Business that sales had not been good.

“Sales haven’t been that good. Last year this time we would have just about sold out on all of our trees. Last Christmas Eve, we didn’t even have to come out. Everyone is saying it’s really slow,” a Yandi’s Christmas Wonderland employee said.