Hamilton Place welcomes last minute Christmas shoppers

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — With Christmas quite literally just around the corner, many are wrapping up their Christmas shopping.

The holidays are a very busy time for many consumers: from Black Friday all the way to Christmas.

Last minute shopping is no exception.

Evelyn with Essence Fragrances said, “Christmas is our biggest holiday for us. And Black Friday is too, but Black Friday comes second. Christmas is definitely first.”

A lot of people are taking advantage of Hamilton Place Mall’s extended hours this weekend for their last minute Christmas shopping.

Store managers explained that the mall has been particularly busy this holiday season, and this weekend shoppers may surpass Black Friday numbers.

“I expect this weekend to maybe be even a little crazier than Black Friday. Everybody is in a great mood which is awesome. It’s like Buddy the Elf in the mall… But, this is where brick-and-mortar wins. Like these days, people can’t shop online. You have to come to us and see us. But we actually get to give you that handshake back. So I think just having that back and forth with our guests is awesome,” Buckle store manager Brittany Flesner said.

While shopping online ahead of time can be helpful, delays in delivery have also sent many people inside to shop.

“Men are definitely in last minute and they are notorious for coming out on Christmas Eve specifically. So it’s super super fun. We’ve learned when a man comes in and shops, they are very very specific, and want to get in and out. So we kind of ask a few questions, find out who they’re shopping for… and try to get them out in less than 15 minutes,” Rose & Remington store manager Lindsey Cooksey said.

A father and son duo took advantage of shopping with mom last minute before Christmas as well.

“We definitely do wait until the last minute to do Christmas shopping. But it’s fun getting out here with them, and letting him see new stuff… I would think it would be harder to shop for the women in my life. Just because they’re more picky than the guys. It’s easier to shop for guys because they really don’t care. You can buy them hunting stuff or fishing stuff… and they’re pretty much good,” Caleb Bryant said.

However, shopping for other women can also be a challenge.

One young lady explained the struggle of shopping for her mother and aunts.

“I was looking for something that is very transitional between work and having fun,” shopper Lilly Tyler said.

Tyler explained that having different tastes in clothing makes shopping for her family members difficult.

Store manager Lindsey Cooksey also explained some trends she has seen women shop for recently.

“For the most part, they’re not stressed about shopping for gifts… They’re stressed about shopping for outfits to wear for parties and events,” Cooksey said.

As the holiday season wraps up, the mall continues to look ahead to other consumer capital holidays next year.