Some stores in Gainesville opened well before daybreak - just hours after closing for the weekend. Most will be closing about 6:00 Monday evening.
Based on early reports, mall operators say they're pleased with the spending spree over the weekend. But they're still banking on Christmas Eve and the post-Christmas business to meet holiday sales goals.
The three days before Christmas account for as much as 15 percent of holiday sales, so there's still a lot of shopping left to be done. And with Christmas falling on a Tuesday this year, shoppers have been lulled into procrastinating more than usual. For many, waiting has paid off, with discounts and deals decking the malls.
When all the dust settles, one analyst says ``stores will have met expectations, though they are modest.
(AccessNorthGa.com's Ken Stanford contributed to this story.)
http://accesswdun.com/article/2007/12/205169