CABIN FEVER HELPS RETAILERS (ALMOST) RECOUP LOST SALES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, March 23, 1993                   TAG: 9303230059
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: SANDRA BROWN KELLY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
CABIN FEVER HELPS RETAILERS (ALMOST) RECOUP LOST SALES
Retailers gave mixed reviews to last weekend's sales, but they generally agreed that March might not be a bad month after all, despite having lost one weekend to a blizzard.
Many merchants were forced to close two or three days because of the March 13 blizzard. Roanoke Valley retailers estimated they lost $5 million worth of sales from the storm and staged promotional events this weekend to try to recoup the business.
After a close look at weekend sales figures, Richard Lynn, president of Heironimus department stores, softened an earlier comment that "you can't make up for being closed."
Heironimus' Sunday sales were 20 percent ahead of the same day last year, he said.
The rest of the week wasn't so hot, however. He said business was off the entire week "and the weekend did not bring back what the snow took away."
Jack Dickerson, manager at Leggett's Tanglewood store, said it didn't meet last year's sales, either, but "it was a very good Saturday." Leggett is not open on Sundays.
He said the same weekend last year was two weeks closer to Easter and that would have driven up sales for that date, anyway.
Sales, he said, didn't start picking up until last Thursday.
State Department of Taxation figures for March 1992 indicate Roanoke Valley merchants stood to Davidson lose $5 million in Saturday sales alone when the region was snowed in March 13-15.
Larry Davidson, president of Davidsons men's clothing stores, said his stores had a "tremendous surge in business over the weekend."
"It's not unusual. You had people trapped inside for a few days and they were anxious to go and do. It caused them to spend money," he said.
Davidson said the malls had high traffic and even downtown business was good.
"No question, we did recoup some of loss," he said. "By the time the month is completed, we will have seen the success we anticipated at the beginning of the month."
Deb Stoevener, assistant manager at Goody's Family Clothing Store in Christiansburg, agreed the month would end well.
"I don't think you make up for being closed, but our sales plans are set on a weekly basis and we made our last week, even with being closed," Stoevener said. "This is a good store for our chain."
"I had a super day downtown and at my Townside [Festival] store both. We did see a lot of people getting out at end of week. I think people were getting cabin fever," said Martha Cox, owner of Martha's. "We anticipate a good spring."
Judy Tulius, manager at Tanglewood Mall, couldn't help but joke that last weekend's sales were "phenomenal" against the one before, when the stores were closed.
Actually, it was a good weekend for sales, she said.
"We had kids' day scheduled. The Easter bunny arrived. The book drive for the public schools kicked off. Despite some of the children being in school, we had a marvelous day," said Tulius.
"I'm hearing from stores that sales were up over the same week last year."

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB