Baton Rouge retailers seeing post-Christmas sales surge

The U.S. reported strong retail sales in January—surpassing economists’ expectations—and the numbers are being reflected at Baton Rouge stores.

“I tell customers it’s been Christmas since Christmas,” says Bobby Berthelot, manager of Perlis.

He and his team expected the surge in sales to run through the Christmas season, but not all the way through Mardi Gras. The store is seeing its best sales numbers in a decade despite low inventory, he says.

The same is true at NK Boutique, says owner Anna Katherine Gladden. December sales were higher and the surge has continued.

U.S. retail sales for January rose 3.8%, while economists expected only a 1.8% bump, Axios reports. Sales ad dropped 2.5% in December.

Berthelot attributes his store’s sales bump to pent-up demand after nearly two years of customers pulling back on spending. Now, they feel secure and are ready for things to be back to normal, he says.

People are just ready to go out, Gladden says, and are buying clothes for more events as they return.

This story originally appeared in a Feb. 28 issue of Daily Report. To keep up with Baton Rouge business and politics, subscribe to the free Daily Report e-newsletter here.