tanger outlets

Stores gear up for post holiday rush

By Jessica Sanders
The Gazette-Enterprise

Published November 22, 2007

SEGUIN ― After feeding a hunger for turkey and dressing, locals are expected to turn their appetites toward savings.

"The day after Thanksgiving is usually one of our top two shopping days of the year," said Seguin Wal-Mart manager Bucky Kalina. "The only other day that's close is Dec. 23 or 24."

Wal-Mart will stay open all day today and Friday, but the special after-Thanksgiving deals don't start until 5 a.m. Friday.

Sale items ― available all day or while supplies last ― range from $598 Dell laptops to acoustic guitars for $19.88.

"We expect to have a line Friday morning. It will probably be packed at 5 a.m."

Smaller stores will be offering savings, as well.

Mary Reiley, owner of Gift and Gourmet, said her store will be open during regular hours ― 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ― on Friday, but said that early-bird deals are available for those getting a head-start on their Christmas shopping.

"Everything you need is right here in Seguin," she said. "I know we'll have a great Christmas season because we have such wonderful shops here in Seguin, all with something different to offer."

Bealls store manager Pamela Rudd said that the early birds will be rewarded at her store as well. Bealls will have extended hours on Friday, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., but some may be able to shop earlier.

"I don't know if there will be people waiting, but we'll even open the doors early. We get there at 6 a.m." Rudd said. "We're expecting pretty heavy turnout because it will be cold and rainy."

Rudd said that shoppers should watch their newspapers for the Bealls flyer, which includes coupons and listing of 'super-buys' on Fridays and Saturdays.

For those who want to venture beyond the city limits, Prime Outlets in San Marcos will open its doors to holiday shoppers right after Thanksgiving at midnight for the ultimate jump-start to Black Friday bargains.

Shoppers who bring a new, unwrapped toy valued at $5 or more to Guest Services will receive a Prime Outlets coupon book filled with even more discounts and savings.

Guests can also visit Guest Services at Prime Outlets � San Marcos or at Tanger Outlets and enter to win a $1,000 shopping spree. The drawing will be held on Friday at 6 a.m. under the large clock at Tanger Outlets.

Those shopping for last-minute Thanksgiving morsels filled the grocery stores Wednesday, but will have another chance to pick up those extra items today.

H-E-B will be open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Handy Andy will open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wal-Mart will be open during regular hours.

Kalina said Wednesday that he expects the flow of shoppers ― both Christmas shoppers and Thanksgiving shoppers ― to remain steady through the weekend.

"Today we're really busy too with last-minute Thanksgiving shoppers, we love them," he said. You better plan to drive safely with all of the holiday shopping traffic out there over the coming weeks. Speed Tracker goes to a place where folks have "shop till you drop" down. It's the "shop till you stop" part they're still working on.

"We're just out and about doing a bit of Christmas shopping, shopping for my wife and stuff," says Andrew Witman, Akron.

Andrew's not alone. And most everyone who's come to the Tanger Outlets in East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County, arrived in a car. After that, it's every man for himself.

"Not a real, real safe place to try and be driving around. Especially with all of the people walking around here and stuff," adds Andrew.

He's right. In fact, people better watch out after we caught several drivers blatantly driving through a stop sign in the middle of the shopping center.

While what those people did looks bad, you need to know it's not illegal. The sign does have 8 sides to it. It's red and in white it says, plainly, STOP, but it is not a real stop sign.

You might be surprised to know that none of the traffic signs are actually what they appear to be.

In fact, police tell us you'd probably have to be driving on this sidewalk for them to issue you a traffic citation here. That's because the outlets are private property. It's not a public road, therefore you'd have to do something very serious in order to get in trouble. That would include DUI, reckless driving or something like a hit and run.

Although rolling through a stop sign won't likely get you into trouble, it could get someone hurt. So obey the rules of the road, even if they don't count here.

"We hope everybody just has the holiday spirit in mind when they're coming out to shop at this time of the year, and hopefully everybody can just keep that in mind - the fact that there are gonna be many other shoppers here at Tanger, as well as any other shopping center," says Jennifer Benchich, Tanger.

East Lampeter police tell CBS 21 News they will respond to accidents in private parking lots, as a courtesy. The report they issue does list who they believe is at fault, but insurance companies don't have to consider it when deciding how much to pay for damage.



Copyright 2007 Clear Channel Broadcasting. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Veterans Day Sales Trends at Tanger Outlets Provide Positive Outlook for 2007 Holiday Shopping Season

November 16, 2007: 11:36 AM EST


GREENSBORO, N.C., Nov. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- With After Thanksgiving sales only a week away, retailers at Tanger Outlet Centers have good reason to feel merry about the upcoming holiday season. Full parking lots and strong sales during the recent Veterans Day holiday weekend, November 9th - 12th, may be a good indication that Tanger customers are ready to shop and save at the outlet stores this season.

Sales were robust from East to West across the country. For example, in Hilton Head, South Carolina, Tanger's annual Veterans Day Sale was a big success. "Shopping bags were full and everyone was in the mood for shopping and saving," remarked Tanger Manager Beth Hilton. "Several stores reported weekend sales increases of 40% or more," said Hilton. Veterans Day bargain hunters at the Tanger Outlet Center in Tilton, New Hampshire were out in force according to Tanger Manager Eric Proulx. "Great fall weather and big sales at our brand name outlet stores had our parking lots at capacity all weekend- long." At Tanger in Lincoln City, Oregon, "It was a tremendous weekend of outlet shopping," commented Diane Kusz, Tanger General Manager.

"Shopping at the outlets is a great way to get quality, brand name goods at substantial savings," stated Steven B. Tanger, President and COO of Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. "Everyone is looking for a bargain these days and we are well positioned to deliver just what everyone needs this holiday shopping season. We are looking forward to a very successful holiday shopping season."

Holiday gift buyers can start their After Thanksgiving shopping early at Tanger Outlet Centers across the country with either Midnight Madness on Thanksgiving Night or Early Bird Openings at 8 a.m. on Friday, November 23rd. In addition to the low, direct from the manufacturer prices they find every day at Tanger Outlets, Tanger stores will be offering After Thanksgiving weekend shoppers even deeper discounts and bonus outlet savings.

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc., a publicly traded REIT, presently has ownership interests in or management responsibilities for 33 shopping centers in 23 states coast-to-coast, totaling approximately 9.2 million square feet, leased to over 2,000 stores that are operated by over 400 different store brands. For more information on Tanger Outlet Centers, call 1-800-4-TANGER or visit our website at wReady, set ― shop!
Outlets are hot spots to score Black Friday deals
By Katie Wais
Editor


Matthew S. Gunby photo


Once again on Black Friday ― the day after Thanksgiving ― shoppers will flock to stores to take advantage of killer deals. At the beach, the outlet malls in Ocean City and Rehoboth Beach are hot spots. Black Friday basics
What is Black Friday?
The day after Thanksgiving is recognized in the United States as Black Friday, or one of the busiest retail shopping days of the year. On the "official" beginning to the Christmas holiday season, retailers often open shop earlier than usual with bargain prices hoping to lure shoppers, many of whom are on holiday and off from work. While the day is considered the busiest in terms of traffic, it is not typically the day with the highest sales volume. That day usually is either Christmas Eve, the last Saturday before Christmas, or Dec. 26, the day after Christmas.

What is the origin of Black Friday?
The first use of the term is not exactly known. There is a popular theory as to its origin: Retailers traditionally operated at a financial loss for most of the year and made their profit during the holiday season. When this would be recorded in the financial records, common accounting practices use red ink to show negative amounts and black ink to show positive amounts. Black Friday is the beginning of the period where retailers would no longer have losses ― in the red ― and instead take in the year's profits ― in the black.

Where are the deals?
Stores throughout the area will be offering Black Friday deals. But some of the busiest stores will be those at the outlet malls. Rehoboth Beach's Tanger Outlets (with three locations on Route 1) open at midnight Friday morning and stay open until 9 p.m. Select stores at Ocean City's Factory Outlets will be open starting at 5 a.m., with all stores open by 8 a.m.

Will there be mobs?
According a Consumer Reports poll, an estimated 24 percent of consumers say they plan to shop sometime on Black Friday, up four percent from last year. About 12 percent of them will be conspicuously missing from their beds as they wait in line for early morning sales.

What will consumers buy most?
Chances are that consumers are in the market for clothing. Consumer Reports found that shopper's number one gift to buy on Friday will be clothing (79 percent), followed by electronics (70 percent) ― and more specifically a big, flat-panel TV (both LCD and plasma). Nearly two in 10 consumers (17 percent) plan to by a flat-panel TV as a gift.



Source: Wikipedia Encyclopedia, Consumer Reports and New Zogby Interactive poll.







It's the most wonderful time of the year ... for shopping, that is.

Today kicks off a truly American "holiday," Black Friday -- the post-Turkey Day scramble that offers more options to spend money (and cash in on some sweet deals) in one day than a single person could possibly take advantage of.

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Across Delmarva, retailers are knocking down prices the day after Thanksgiving, but at the beach, thousands will be headed towards two of the biggest places for savings: The outlets.

"Black Friday is a very, very, very busy day and business continues to be very brisk over the next few weeks," said Renée Kelly, Ocean City Factory Outlets Marketing and Property Manager. "It's very festive ... I think it will be a big day for the outlets and for customers."

Hours and hours of shopping
Ocean City's Factory Outlets and Rehoboth Beach's Tanger Outlets (in three locations along Route 1) are ready for customers, and if this year is anything like the past, shoppers won't disappoint. Last year an estimated 60 million Americans turned out at stores on Black Friday.

However, one thing that will be different this year -- in Rehoboth, at least -- is the hours. For the first time, the Tanger Outlets are offering Midnight Madness, which means shoppers will be waiting to raid the outlets at the stroke of 12 a.m. -- just as the turkey and stuffing are beginning to settle in their tummies. Stores will be open from midnight to 9 p.m., with a wide variety of deals available.

"It really is a wonderful opportunity for shoppers who don't want to get up at 3:00 in the morning. This is a great opportunity for people who are going to be up late on Thanksgiving," said Amy Norgate, Tanger Outlets General Manager. "It's really hitting a different kind of shopper."

In Ocean City, early-bird shoppers can stakeout Children's Place and Gap, which open at 5 a.m., and Tommy Hilfiger, which opens at 5:45 a.m. Shortly after, Big Dogs, Harry and David, Jos A. Banks and Reebok open at 6 a.m., followed by L'eggs/Hanes/Bali/Playtex, Nautica and Rue 21, opening at 7 a.m. All other stores open at 8 a.m.

But shopping doesn't stop on Black Friday. In fact, the entire weekend is full of deals, many of which run over from Friday.

"A lot of these stores have deals all weekend," Norgate said. "(Shoppers) really aren't missing the boat if they just come out on Saturday or Sunday."

In's and out's of holiday shopping
Whether a novice or a seasoned Black Friday shopper, navigating the outlet madness can be a bit overwhelming. Luckily, Kelly and Norgate have offered a few tips to make the day a little smoother.


Early bird doesn't always get the worm. Norgate said a big misconception is that stores are mobbed in the afternoon.
"Locals are very smart," she said. "They know that one of the best-kept secrets is to shop around 2:30 or 3 p.m."

Parking is better, the stores are less crowded and most of the deals are still going, Norgate said.


Hit the Web first. Both the Ocean City and Rehoboth outlets have information about special sales on their Web sites and coupons for some crazy-good deals which shoppers can print out. If you're a real planner, you can even map out your route. In Rehoboth, it's particularly helpful to be familiar with where stores are located, since there are three separate outlet locations, Norgate said.

Bring a buddy. Don't shop alone -- bring a friend, Norgate said. Not just for company, but to hold a spot in line at the cash register while you're in the dressing room or loading up on goods.

Home is where the car is. Finding a good parking place is key, Kelly advises. People often ignore the overflow parking lots in Ocean City, she said, but they're actually some of the best places to go. Situated behind the north and east rows of stores, the overflow lot pops folks out between Carter's and Factory Brand Shoes.

Slow down, you move to fast. When it comes to Black Friday, there are a few tried and true tips that won't let you down. Wear comfortable shoes, be organized and remember to have fun. But taking the time to slow down and enjoy the day with your shopping companions -- whether family members or friends -- might be the best advice of all.
"Most people are just really excited to have a day off where they can take their time and really look at what's in the stores," Norgate said. "People work so many hours -- it's almost a luxury to shop."

"Everyone's in such a rush. They should take their time and shop wisely," Kelly added