The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

BAY Street merchants have described business this past Christmas season as “steady”, several telling Tribune Business they were pleased with sales over the holiday period.

Marcie Tannous, manager of the Perfume Shop, told Tribune Business: “I’m very happy. We just took over in October and we have no complaints. Business was fairly good this Christmas.”

Chinarae Pratt, managing director of United Colors of Benetton, said business levels were consistent with previous years, its men’s clothing outlet showing a “tremendous” increase.

“Our ladies and kids store at the Bay Street location this Christmas pretty much stayed consistent in comparison to previous years. The biggest change we noticed was that customers, who typically shop early, joined the many last minute Christmas Eve shoppers. After a year of being open, the Benetton men’s store saw a tremendous increase this Christmas,” she said.

Ms Pratt added that the fashion retail outlet’s newest location at the Old Fort Bay Town Centre did extremely well at Christmas for a store that has only been open for five months.

“The communities in the surrounding areas have truly welcomed Benetton, and for that we are very grateful. Overall, we are thankful for the continued support that our customers have given us this Christmas season and throughout the entire year, which keeps Benetton the leading fashion retailer in the Bahamas,” said Ms Pratt.

Steve Hoffer, chief executive of Hoffer Sport, one of the largest sporting goods outfits in the Bahamas, told Tribune Business: “Whatever we didn’t do Downtown we made up at Cable Beach. Heading into Christmas the volume didn’t seem to be as heavy as it was last year, but the Cable Beach store was quite busy, so overall it was OK. It wasn’t an enormous increase but it was steady. People still managed to get Downtown. Downtown is still quite active. Business was OK.”

Deidre Andrews, marketing consultant for Colombian Emeralds International, said: “Colombian Emeralds is very pleased with the Christmas performance on Bay Street. Knowing the economic climate out there, what we did do for the Christmas season we were very pleased with the turnout.”

Collette McKenzie, manager at the Brass & Leather Shop, said sales were down slightly compared to last year. “Sales were down a bit over last year; they were down about 8-10 per cent this Christmas period as compared to last year,” she said.