Shoppers take a tax break

STAFF WRITER

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Portales businesses and customers alike reaped from the savings available during tax-free weekend Saturday as school supplies and clothing were bought.

Staff photo: Eamon Scarbrough

Buz Goodson, owner of Bar G Western Wear, straightens straw hats Saturday during tax free weekend.

Several businesses, including Family Dollar, Bar G Western Wear and Bealls observed the state-wide weekend that suspends gross receipts tax.

Jennifer Herrington, a supervisor at Bealls, said that by 11 a.m., the department store had already seen one large group of people come in Saturday morning.

“We had a huge rush in here. It seems like they all come in at the same time and then they all leave, so we’ll be expecting another one to hit. We met our goal for yesterday (Friday), and I think we’re going to meet it again,” she said, adding that denim jeans, shoes and tops were selling the most.

According to Buz Goodson, owner of Bar G Western Wear, tax-free weekend has so far been a success.

“Tax free has been really, really good. We had a good day yesterday (Friday). It was kind of slow in the morning, but from noon on, we were real busy. We close usually at 5:30 (p.m.), and it was 6:30 before we got out of here last night,” he said. “We sold lots of boots, pants, shirts. We sold a lot of straw hats. Just about everything, but mainly, probably boots, hats, pants, shirts. It was good.”

With businesses seeing high sales, many customers were taking advantage of the benefits of tax-free weekend.

Betty Parkey, a teacher, bought several items from Family Dollar, including spiral notebooks, a portfolio and a treasure box for her students.

“You just save a little bit more money. I was going to buy this anyway. It’s just icing on top,” Parkey said.

Nicole Tivis, also shopping at Family Dollar, was buying “some general school supplies” but not for herself.

“I am actually buying these for a family member. This is my third trip,” she said.

At Bealls, Whitney Fitzwater was looking for T-shirts for her son, who will be starting preschool. She said she buys shoes and pants on tax-free weekend, which are typically expensive.

While most shoppers were purchasing for their children, Dawn Hatten was buying herself a pair of sandals at Bealls. She said that she wasn’t aware that it was tax-free weekend.

“I don’t have kids in school, so it’s not that I’m doing school shopping. Purely coincidental that it’s tax-free weekend for me,” she said.