Frigid weather has not stopped local shoppers

Winter snow and ice are a sure-fire killer of Christmas retail sales, but a cold spell with dry roads apparently are not enough to keep shoppers indoors.

That’s the assessment of local retailers based on traffic patterns during last weekend’s cold but mostly sunny dry spell. In fact, record frigid temperatures sent some shoppers scrambling for cold-weather supplies they haven’t needed over our recent mild winters.

“Weather like this always drives a nice bump in the food business and cold weather items — coats, boots, hand and feet warmers, shovels, chains, etc.,” said Melinda Merrill, spokeswoman for Fred Meyer and QFC stores, in an email to The Columbian. “It did not seem to affect Christmas shopping that much.”

Merrill said this year’s hot items for under the Christmas tree are popular toys including Sophia the First and Hug Me Elmo as well has the latest electronics — tablets, Skylanders, Xbox and Play Station, Go Pro cameras and Bluetooth speakers.

Chris Yates, marketing director for Westfield Vancouver mall, said weather of various sorts typically affects retail traffic and spending patterns on a month-to-month basis. He described last week’s traffic as normal but said the cold weather did influence purchase decisions. Seasonal apparel saw sharp increases, as well as on heating appliances and automotive expenditures, primarily all-weather tires, Yates reported.

Kelly Parker, president and CEO of the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, said she saw heavy retail traffic over the weekend and had not heard of any complaints from the chamber’s retail members.

With more cold days ahead during the year’s busiest shopping season, expect Santa’s bag to be stuffed with enough goodies to survive an Arctic winter. It’s enough to hope for a late spring.