Naper retailers hopeful as shoppers hint they’re ready to spend

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Graham and Janet Boote of Naperville walk with their purchases along Jefferson Avenue on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011, after shopping at Eddie Bauer in downtown Naperville. | Jeff Cagle~For Sun-Times Media

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Updated: January 15, 2012 8:03AM

The ringing of the cash register might be on track to keep pace with the volume of the jingle bells this holiday season.

As the economy continues its slow comeback, Naperville shoppers are showing willingness to open their wallets a little wider than they did last time they frequented local retailers in search of the perfect holiday gifts. The modest increase in seasonal sales being seen so far parallels national trends. Because recent years have left plenty of room for improvement, nobody is popping champagne corks just yet.

“I think we’re seeing an uptick,” said Becky Anderson, owner of Anderson’s Bookshop, in the midst of its 48th holiday season in the downtown district. “I think it’s going to be a better holiday than we’ve seen over the past couple of years.”

Katie Wood, executive director of the Downtown Naperville Alliance, shares Anderson’s guarded optimism.

“With very few exceptions, resoundingly I’m hearing, ‘We’re ahead of last year. We’re feeling good,’” said Wood, who pops in on several businesses in the city’s commercial core each day.

While retailers remain clearly cautious, they seem upbeat relative to the past few Decembers.

“I’m not hearing, ‘Great, this is the best we’ve ever had,’” Wood said. “But we’re heading in the right direction.”

Some store owners are seeing shoppers exhibit a concerted focus on quality, in some cases over quantity.

“The higher-end, better-quality merchandise is what’s selling better for us this year,” said Eric Torcasio, owner along with his wife Lori of Badlands Outfitters at Gartner Road and Washington Street. “We’re finding that people are willing to spend a little more for things that are going to last a long time.”

Still, patrons of the outerwear specialty store are keeping their belts snug, he said, and in some cases are taking a more practical approach to their purchase decisions. A decade ago, Torcasio said, consumers didn’t think too hard about buying themselves a needed item such as a nice pair of gloves.

“Now they’re saying, ‘I’ll just put that on my Christmas list,’” he said.

At the same time, some shoppers appear more relaxed about spending than they were in recent holiday seasons.

“I think we’re seeing people buy a little bit more,” Anderson said. “In years past, they were maybe wanting to spend a little less, to spend a little more time making sure it was just the right gift.”

Another factor contributing to a semi-subdued shopping season is one beyond anyone’s control: the weather.

“This season has definitely been affected by the weather, because it stayed warm for so long, and that has a real psychological effect on shoppers,” Torcasio said.

Unlike years past, people are less inclined to pick up a woolly hat or a pair of cozy socks before they really need it, he added. The temperate weeks of November and early December have resulted in it just not feeling like winter — at least, not yet.

“Especially when it comes to Christmas time, that makes a difference,” he said. “We are always hoping for cold, snowy weather.”

While online shopping offers a level of convenience many find appealing when the wind blows cold and snowy, some consumers are telling the store operators they like to keep their spending local.

“If you want to see a business (stay) in your community, you have to go there,” Wood said, noting that the concept applies to chains as well as privately owned shops. “Whatever you’re feeling, shop here. Because that’s what keeps the lights on and keeps their people employed.”

The rise of online booksellers is nothing new to Anderson.

“We hope people will think twice about going to the internet, and instead come down to the brick-and-mortar (stores) to do their shopping,” said Anderson, who takes pride in her two stores’ reputation for comprehensive customer service, noting that it’s something not easily found when sitting at a computer. “You have a whole different experience when you come in the door.”