Finding a parking spot close to major department stores at South Square mall has been easy lately. So has finding fitting rooms in stores and cashiers to check out. Officials say business at the mall has slowed.
"We have had a decrease in sales by 4 to 5 percent, I believe," said South Square General Manager James Dolan, adding that the decline reflects a slowing economy.
Store managers and customers attribute lower sales to many factors. They say the economy has depressed consumer confidence, a problem compounded by the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. In addition, some retailers say sales traditionally slow in October.
Dillard's manager Vicki Brown said the decline has been concentrated in certain departments.
"There are a lot of necessities people are buying, such as coats and warmer clothing," Brown said. "Cosmetic and shoe sales have actually increased. People want to feel good about themselves, which is why these departments in particular are holding up very well. In addition, we are still selling a lot of back-to-school items."
Carol Holmes, a Durham resident, has not changed her spending priorities but said she has noticed other differences at the mall. "The police and guards seem more visible now, and there aren't as many shoppers," she said.
The attacks Sept. 11 had an immediate effect on mall traffic, but business has slowly picked up in the following weeks.
"I think people took to heart what [President George W. Bush] said [in his Sept. 20 address to the country] and are trying to get back to normal," Brown said. "We saw a downfall [in sales] on the Wednesday following the attacks, but since then, people have been shopping."
Tiffany Dempsey, second assistant manager of Camelot Music, said she too has noticed a change in spending habits. "Some people are not in the spirit to shop, but others are preparing for war--both economically and mentally," Dempsey said. "Some people are buying patriotic music to try to work through their suffering. Other people are using music as an escape from the events taking place in the world."
In addition, retailers have also cited the nature of shopping trends as a reason for the decline.
"October is typically a transition period," said Lauren Werner, a branch representative for Abercrombie and Fitch. "We receive fall merchandise in July and winter merchandise in November. Right now we are just clearing out the remaining fall clothing and preparing for a new inventory."
Dolan agreed and said he expected Christmas spending to be high.
The slowing business comes just months before The Streets at Southpoint, another mall, is set to open. Southpoint, scheduled to open in March 2002, will include five department stores and 130 other stores.
Right now, no one knows what will happen to South Square after the opening. None of South Square's stores have formally announced decisions to shut down. Werner said she assumed that Abercrombie and Fitch, which is opening a much larger branch at Southpoint, would close at South Square.
Although Holmes plans to visit Southpoint, she said she will still shop at South Square. "I won't shop here as often if stores are shutting down. I will be disappointed if the new mall causes major changes at South Square," she said.
Managers at South Square are confident in their loyal shoppers and believe the two malls can coexist
"People feel secure here; foot traffic has stayed up," Brown said. "We can't worry about it, because retail comes and goes. Our job is to satisfy customers and provide good service. As long as we do that, I believe we will be fine at South Square."
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