It seemed a somewhat low-key shopping day on Mother’s Day eve in Bridgetown yesterday.
A SUNDAY SUN visit to The City heard from some businesses that sales were down this year.
One shopper, who gave her name as Krystal, said she did not have any money to buy her mother something nice.
“I don’t work, so I ain’t got no money, but early tomorrow morning I’m going to tell her Happy Mother’s Day,” said Krystal.
A store owner said the declining business represented a trend. “Last year was worse than the year in front.”
For Althea Welch, owner of Imperial Gifts and Balloons in City Centre Mall, things were not blooming.
“This is the slowest Mother’s Day I ever had and I can say that from experience because I have been doing this for years now.”
According to Welch, she was accustomed to good sales of gift sets and fruit baskets which customers usually ordered days in advance.
But this year, said the mother of one, “I just get a couple orders for gift baskets and that ain’t like Mother’s Day. But I thank God for what little I get”.
Over at Tropicana Jewellers, managing director Poonam Uttamchandani said that although he had affordable Mother’s Day specials, the expected sales rush was not present.
However, a representative from Affordable Shopping in Roebuck Street, said “sales ain’t too bad”.
“The people buying the gift sets, especially the perfume sets. The teddy bear like it ain’t that big this year,” said the rep.
Getting one of those affordable gifts was Jamiera Steele, who did not have a detailed plan for her mum today but she knew for sure that she would be handing her a gift.
Like Steele, many others were still unsure as to what they would be treating their mums to today. (AH)
