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Beating the rush - Back to School in Barbados

Posted by CaribShout on July 9, 2009 at 10:29pm

Cherie Pitt - Photo ONLY ONE WEEK of the summer vacation has gone, but parents are already getting the jump on back-to-school shopping. Not only do they want to get the necessary chore out of the way, but after last year's fire at Yankee Garments, they are taking no chances. Staff at Cave Shepherd were busy cutting material and helping customers with shirts, pants and overalls with room to allow for summer growth. "This is the first time that I'm shopping so early because last year, due to the fact that they had the burning and stuff like that, I didn't get much things [so] I'm coming early this year," said one woman who declined to give her name. Lisa Coyle was among the early birds, making sure her three children had what they needed. "They have the stock in now, and I know the factory burnt [last year], so I'm buying it now that I know it's here. I'm just buying larger sizes, so that after summer when the children grow, it should be good," said Coyle. One woman who gave her name as Francine, said she had already spent $600 on shirts, pants and books for her two sons and still had to look for shoes and bags. Over by the shoes, Rosalind Campbell was making sure her girls got the right fit and the right brand of shoe. "Brown shoes are hard to come by. You have got to get a good brand or you'll be back at the end of every term," she said. Corporate communications manager Hugh Durant said Cave Shepherd had its share of early shoppers from among people who were going overseas and those who saved for back-to-school shopping. He said the company had placed orders in March and expected to have full stock by the middle of July, in time for the usual rush after Kadooment in August. Managing director of Woolworth, Martin Bryan, said people started shopping from the time school ended. "First-time parents, the ones whose kids are now going into primary school and secondary school, were the ones that first started coming in with lists. This year we're actually carrying for the first time epaulettes, bands for the girls [and] specialty socks," he said. Noting that the rush normally started after Kadooment when "the reality of school beckoned", Bryan said shopping started a little earlier this year. "Certainly this week [Friday and Saturday] we saw people coming in . . . . It was reasonably brisk with back-to-school shoppers who are coming in for primarily stationery and uniforms," he said. While the store has the full supply of stationery, books, lunch boxes and book bags, Bryan said Woolworth was still awaiting some garments from their major supplier Yankee Garments. "They have assured me that we should get everything by the middle of July, with a few exceptions. So I keep telling our customers 'don't panic'." (YB)

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