Shoppers Begin Season With Cautious Optimism

San Diego area shopping malls were bustling Friday, the first day of the Christmas shopping season, but many shoppers said they are limiting this year’s gift giving because of the lingering recession and doubts about their job security.

“We’re going to spend the least amount of money we can on the least amount of presents we can buy,” Donald Anderson, a maintenance man in the San Diego County Unified School District, said as he entered Target.

The day after Thanksgiving, traditionally one of the busiest shopping days of the gift-buying season, is considered by industry observers as a bellwether of shopper confidence and activity. And there were definitely mixed signs Friday as to how successful the season will be.

“I’ve noticed a lot of people walking around doing a lot of looking but no one seems to be buying--you don’t see people carrying (armfuls of) bags,” said Joanne Blandford, a Coronado mother of three who was shopping at San Diego’s Horton Plaza.

Nevertheless, managers at various malls said parking lots were full by early afternoon, although no record turnouts were reported.

Julie Treger-Rivkin, marketing director for Mission Valley Center, said there were about the same number of shoppers this year as last, although it was unclear whether they were spending more or less money.

Yet there was an air of optimism that the inauguration of President-elect Bill Clinton will usher an economic recovery.

Construction superintendent August Becker said Clinton’s election had given him “a general up feeling that the economy will loosen up,” although he doubted he’ll spend more on Christmas presents this year than last.

In general, mall managers say that over the last two years shoppers have tended to spend the first week after Thanksgiving window shopping, and then actually buy during the last two weeks before Christmas.

But Craig Pettitt, general manager of the 150-store Horton Plaza mall, said interviews with about 50 of his merchants Friday convinced him sales were up compared with the same day last year. Pettitt’s 3,000-car-capacity parking lot was full and closed temporarily at about 2 p.m.

“Hopefully this is not false optimism,” Pettitt said. “Our expectations for this day are always very high but we were very pleased with the turnout. It seems that the picture is certainly better than last year. It seems they’re spending money this year and we saw a lot of people carrying bags.”

Although Pettitt and others were cheered by Clinton’s promises for the economy, others weren’t so sanguine.

“I’m scared, afraid of what will happen to the economy when Clinton gets in there in January,” said Horton Plaza shopper Debbie Nelson, an officer manager from Oceanside. “We’re spending about a third of what we used to on gifts and this year we’re just buying for our children--most everyone else will get cards.”

Adds her boyfriend, Tom Aleen, “We’re not buying anything here, we’re just window shopping to check out what’s out there. Then we’ll got to Target and see if they have the same thing.”

Indeed, a recurring theme among San Diego shoppers was attentiveness to prices and sales. Flight attendant Carol Andrews of San Diego said she is doing more catalogue shopping than in years past for the savings and convenience.

“I feel much more fortunate than those around me with my job, my health and my family together,” Andrews said.

“This is the fourth store we’ve been to this morning and we haven’t bought anything yet,” said San Diego accountancy secretary Ruth Snyder, interviewed outside Target on Sports Arena Boulevard.

“We’re going to be more selective about what we buy and who we buy it for. No big ticket items this year, more personal clothing and useful things,” Snyder said.

Said shopper Blandford: “I haven’t set a budget this year but I’m cutting back and looking for the sales. Our children will get clothes--not toys or dust collectors. The economy seems to be picking up, but not for our family. My husband is a commander in the Navy and he’s apprehensive about what the future holds. You just don’t know what’s around the corner.”

Though most of the dozens of shoppers interviewed said they have cut back on their Christmas spending budget compared to last year, others said they would spend as much or more than they did last year because they feel the economy has bottomed out.

And native San Diegan Richard Thiel, now a New York magazine editor who is spending the holidays with his parents here, said he will spend more money on Christmas presents this year.

“I think the economy is going to turn around,” Thiel said while shopping at Mission Valley Center for gifts. “I’d cut back about 50% last year but I think my job is secure. . . . I’m even going to be buying a ($1,200) computer for my daughter.”

Most were less optimistic.

A few stores down from where Thiel was shopping, father-of-four Palmer Chase of Chula Vista explained that he has a secure job as a mathematician for the Navy, yet he feels uneasy because the economy is still bleak and he has the expense of helping two of his children through college.

“I’ve drawn the line this year,” Chase said, explaining that he has cut his Christmas shopping budget from last year’s $1,400 to about $1,000 this year. “I’m not buying the extravagant things that I’ve bought in the past, when I felt like I had more money to spend and the economy (was stronger).”

After shopping for several hours, he’d purchased only a $14 set of goblets for his sister.

Meanwhile, over at Fashion Valley, Kristy Rowan was toting around her $19.99 kettle after walking around for hours.

“The sales here aren’t good enough,” lamented Rowan, an accounting clerk. “I’m looking for good deals . . . practical things like clothes, nothing frivolous.”