Shopping downtown during the festive season

THE streets of downtown Georgetown are usually transformed at this time of the year into a crowded mass of shoppers trying to complete their shopping list before the ‘big’ day.

When the Pepperpot Magazine took to the streets last week, the busy Regent Street was packed as usual with shoppers, bargain hunting at the many stores that lined that street.

This newspaper spoke to sales representative Vanessa Abrahams who said that the spirit of the festive season is gaining momentum with mostly out of town shoppers, among others.

She related that it had been slow so far, but remained optimistic that things will pick up as Christmas drew nearer.

Meanwhile, store owner, Mia Seeram of Mia’s Variety Store on Regent Street said she feels as though Christmas this year was postponed because it is just slow and dreary.

She told the Pepperpot Magazine that last year and the years before around this time, they didn’t have hands to sell but this year they are only seeing a few shoppers and felt it was like “the Grinch stole Christmas.”

Seeram hoped that the days would be brighter as the days roll by and like many others, she, too, is looking forward to a good Christmas.

At Robb Street, two lovely young ladies were busy trying to make purchases of curtains and other household items at one of the many stores and said they wanted to shop early to ensure they ‘fix up’ the house in good time.

At that time, they had managed to get everything they were looking for and said that indeed it was beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Also on Robb Street, store owner, Jai Kisum said that two to three years ago business boomed this time of year, but this year he is wondering what happened.

“It is like the spending power isn’t here because people just walking around and hardly shopping,” he said.

At the City Hall, this newspaper met Avinash Chattergoon, who was shopping with his wife, however, laden with bags he says the process has been from one store to the next and he happens to be the one carrying all the bags.

He added that it was his wife’s idea to shop early and avoid the rush and that suits him just fine, since he will have time for the family for Christmas.
There were scores of shoppers, mostly women on the hunt for bargains at the stores on Regent and Robb Streets and other commercial wards of the city as Christmas is almost upon us.

Even though most store owners expressed their disappointment at the low shopper turnout this year, they are hopeful ‘things’ will pick up coming close to Christmas when some folks indulge in the ‘last minute’ shopping experience.

This year, there seemed to be more vendors than actual buyers in downtown Georgetown but the foreigners were noticeably out in their numbers shopping at the Chinese-owned stores.

The hustle and bustle of shoppers during the Christmas season is not yet dead.