Packed Shopping Centers

[bbinacan]

I don't know what they were like yesterday, but they were very crowded today. On the way to the grocery store, I drove by the first shopping center anchored by a Sam's and Walmart and it was nuts. The second center where I was going had Target, Kohl's, Lowes, etc., along with several restaurants. It was a madhouse. Damn I wish I could have my groceries delivered.

[hlthe2b]

1. Only reason the more upscale mall near me was crowded this am...

Was the fact that a row of about 40 taxi cabs were parading by in a demonstration targeted at getting a yes vote on the union-- the mall staff were out with Denver Police to make sure they didn't enter the drop off areas.... I came back later to pick up something for my sister at Macy's and it was only Saturday-level crowded.... maybe this afternoon is different?

[greennina]

2. But no one is buying.

No one at all. In the store where I work in the mall we didn't sell a single item yesterday the four hours I was there. There are a lot people looking, but obviously no one can afford to buy anything.

[NYC_SKP]

3. Black Friday Sales Up 0.5% from Last Year.

Not great, but not at all bad, IMO.

"WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Sales on Black Friday, the traditional start of the holiday shopping season, were only slightly stronger this year compared with a year ago, according to a survey released by a research firm Saturday.

Holiday spending totaled $10.66 billion on Friday, up only 0.5% compared with Black Friday 2008, according to ShopperTrak RCT Corp., a Chicago-based firm that tracks sales at more than 50,000 stores.
U.S. Week Ahead: Dregs of Dubai, Jobs Data

Traders back from holiday will be looking for news on Dubai's potential debt default, along with any numbers on Black Friday. The week ends with a bevy of economic indicators, all on jobs. There also will be auto-sales figures and hearings on Ben Bernanke. Stacey Delo reports.

Bill Martin, co-founder of ShopperTrak, said the slim sales increase was a good sign. "


http://www.marketwatch.com/story/black-friday-sales-tick-higher-2009-11-28

[bbinacan]

4. They sure as hell are buying here. n/t