Retailers, shoppers gear up for final holiday rush
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Shoppers had their pick of products and parking Friday ahead of what retailers hope will be a chaotic and profitable weekend — the last full weekend before Christmas celebrations get underway.
“It’s not very crowded. I was thinking it would’ve been busier on a nice Friday,” said Karen Belin of New Kensington, who was shopping at The Waterworks mall near Aspinwall. “It doesn’t seem like people are shopping like they normally do. I think things are tight money-wise.”
At Westmoreland Mall in Hempfield, self-proclaimed last-minute shopper Jim Pillsbury searched for the right gifts for family members, some of whom live in England.
“We usually send calendars overseas because (they’re) easy to mail,” said Pillsbury, 57, of Greensburg.
The mall seemed busy, he said, which felt like a good thing, referencing the decline and ultimate condemnation of Century III Mall in West Mifflin.
“The last thing you want is (a) big, old, abandoned building laying around with no one in it,” he said of the once-bustling Century III.
Banking on business
Joe Casciato said he is expecting this weekend to be busy, just like last year — and possibly even busier.
Casciato, 24, of Irwin works at The Nutty Lady food stand on the second floor of Westmoreland Mall. He sells cinnamon- glazed nuts, including almonds, pecans, cashews and peanuts.
The stand opened for the holiday season during the first weekend in November and will remain open until New Year’s Eve. The owners also operate Pita Paul’s, a gyro shop, in the mall’s food court.
During the same weekend last year, he said, demand was high at the nut stand and the gyro shop saw a steady stream of customers.
“We sold so many nuts, we couldn’t even keep up,” Casciato said. “We just roast constantly — all day long.”
Business has been up this holiday season, particularly on weekends, compared to last year, he said.
“It’s just constant, nonstop busyness,” he said.
Carey Busatto, 57, of Greensburg is seeing the same thing with her mall storefront, Steel City Whip. She described weekends as “pretty busy.”
This is the first holiday season in the mall for the family business that began two years ago solely as a Greensburg-based food truck. Steel City Whip sells soft-serve, dairy-free Dole whips and cold brew floats with Joffrey’s Coffee.
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Busatto’s storefront opened on Black Friday and closes Dec. 27, she said. She’s keeping her fingers crossed for another profitable weekend.
“We’re looking forward to the weekend and seeing a bunch of new people,” she said.
Stacey Keating, spokeswoman for CBL Properties, which operates Westmoreland Mall, described the holiday shopping season as “strong.”
“It seems that people coming to the mall are doing so with the intention to spend,” she said in a text message. “We’re optimistic about the last 10 days before Christmas and expect this weekend and next weekend to be very busy.”
In Aspinwall, long-term PennDOT construction projects related to Route 28 appear to have hampered the business district, one business owner said.
“Aspinwall had our worst fall ever — both with businesses and restaurants,” lamented Jessica Rehling Vukmir, owner of Dovecote and Nouveau PGH on Brilliant Avenue.
Vukmir is a co-organizer and member of the Merchants of Aspinwall, a group composed of independent small-business owners. If the shopping public doesn’t support local businesses this holiday, “they won’t be here next year,” she said.
Murrysville residents and friends Jennifer Tomb and Nicole Kaforey on Friday perused the antiques, vintage and unique home accessories and Pittsburgh-themed items at Dovecote.
“I like to support local business. I literally haven’t gone to any mall,” Tomb said. “I’m giving Amazon a lot of business, but today is a little brick-and-mortar.”
Kaforey chose Aspinwall for a day of retail roaming, adding the shopping opportunities include a variety of independently owned businesses.
The friends had Dovecote to themselves Friday.
Vukmir is trying to maintain a positive attitude during the roadwork.
“I’m really hoping things get back to normal soon,” she said. “Business has been ‘meh’ this season, and I’m hearing this across the board from all small-business owner friends.
“We had a great Black Friday/Small Business Saturday, but slow since then, sadly. So much online shopping is killing small brick-and-mortars.”
Holiday spirit
Patti Costello was among those shopping Friday, splitting time between The Waterworks mall and the Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer.
“It’s not really feeling like Christmas. I’m not seeing as many decorations,” said Costello of Allegheny Township as she left Macy’s at the Mills mall.
Costello blamed online shopping for sparse crowds.
“There’s just not many people in there. I was shopping (at Macy’s) for a young adult, and I was not happy (with the selection), so that was disappointing,” Costello said.
She normally does about half of her holiday shopping online but plans to shop over the weekend to finish her gift buying.
“I shop all over the place online, and I’m always last minute,” Costello said.
For Belin, this year’s holiday season also appears a bit less festive, shopping-wise.
“I’m hearing it from friends and family: People seem a little down,” she said. “I think people are going out to eat and spending time with family. So they’re having more ‘moments’ instead of ‘material.’
“They’re having dinners with their family. That’s what they want to do this year, and I guess in a way it’s a good thing, in lieu of a material gift.”
Yasmine Schmid of Oakmont wasn’t straying far from home to accomplish her Christmas shopping list, at least on this day.
Schmid strolled along Allegheny River Boulevard with her infant son, bags in hand, touting the thriving business district.
“It’s walkable, which is one of the most wonderful parts of living here,” Schmid said. “We do as much of our shopping here as we can because we know the independent stores have things that are really unique and that you can’t find, say, on Amazon.
“Besides getting our basics at big-box stores, we shop here because we know the owners and managers.”