Last-minute shoppers join in holiday rush

By Lethbridge Herald on December 23, 2022.

Holiday shoppers use the last couple of days before Christmas to get the remaining gifts on their holiday lists on Friday at Park Place Shopping Centre. Herald photo by Ry Clarke

Ry Clarke – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

With Christmas around the corner the rush for last minute gifts is on. Many residents in Lethbridge wanting to snag those last-minute deals and cross off all the names on their shopping list will be racing through crowds and snowfall as they hope to complete all their shopping before the big day. 

Park Place Shopping Centre is one of the city’s hub for Christmas shoppers, seeing an increase in foot traffic as the days get closer to Sunday, Dec. 25. “We have noticed a steady increase in sales and traffic especially over this same time last year realizing increases by over 11%,” said Kevin Brees, Regional Manager of Operations for Park Place, in a statement to the Herald. “The holiday season is easily the strongest in sales and traffic for our robust tenant mix.”

The mall was a buzz with holiday shoppers Friday morning, braving the snowfall and minus-20 conditions in their final push to get gifts. 

“It has been really busy, which has been great. It’s actually felt like Christmas this year,” said Chris Young, General Manager of Games Galore and The Billiard Store. “During the COVID years with occupancy restrictions, we were still busy, but we weren’t full and busy. Which didn’t have that Christmas feel like in previous years. We got to Christmas Eve and still never had that real Christmas rush feel, because only eight to ten people could be in the store. Whereas this year, you go out in the store and there is like 30 to 40 people in the store and you are helping three different people at once. It’s a crazy mad rush… Which is what Christmas and retail feels like.”

With the hustle and bustle for year end shopping, the hunt is on for those gifts everyone is looking for. “Things are starting to get tight on some popular titles,” notes Young. “Catan has always been doing strong for a super long time. The best thing is this, the quicker you get out, the better selection you will have. We are getting stuff every day to try and keep on top of the stock.”

With winter weather putting a damper on road conditions during the last few weeks of season, last minute shoppers will have to brave the conditions to get their shopping done. “The rush has been gradually increasing as it gets closer to the holiday,” said Randi Stretch, store manager for Rocky Mountain Soap Co. “We all seem to be in the boat where it kind of snuck up on us and we are all usually done earlier than this. We have been seeing a lot of customers come in and get our gift sets, different sensory products, and our build your own boxes to customize gifts and make it more personal and unique.”

Hoping to get everyone that special something under the tree, the race is on with only one more sleep until Santa comes. Park Place Mall will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the 24. Opening back up on the 26th from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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