Retailers uncertain how merry Christmas will be

With Christmas six days away, some retailers know what they've received from St. Nick — and it isn't seven swans a-swimming.

At Gilman Village in Issaquah, stores missed the most critical holiday-shopping weekend of the year after last week's storm knocked out power to the center through early Monday.

The dark spell was particularly acute, since retailers make up to 40 percent of annual sales and half of their profits during the final two months of the year.

"I think the timing was disastrous," said Aaron Barouh, general manager of the specialty-shopping center, adding that retailers can't make up lost sales so deep into the season.

"This late?" he said. "I don't think so."

Creighton Edward Home Lifestyle in Gilman Village dedicates 80 percent of its store to holiday items from candles to linens.

The high-end Italian dishware, towels and holiday chocolates remained on display Monday.

"We're lucky we have a savings account," owner Creighton Hilstad said.

"When you take an easy $20,000 hit in three days, it takes a big chunk out of the month."

At the village's longtime Sweet Addition cafe and candy store, owners Steve and Jonelle Kowalsky pitched $5,000 worth of refrigerated food over the weekend, not withstanding lost food sales.

They also lost business at their apparel shop Girls' Night Out.

The couple did what other residents without power did over the weekend — headed to warm, lighted shopping centers to eat and do some shopping.

"Next weekend, me and all the other guys that procrastinate will be doing their Christmas shopping," Steve Kowalsky said.

"But that won't be the bulk of everyone."

With Christmas falling on a Monday, retailers have one extra weekend to bring in shoppers, and lingering procrastination may aid them.

Only 10.8 percent of U.S. consumers had finished their holiday shopping by Monday; another 15.4 percent admitted they had yet to begin, according to the National Retail Federation's 2006 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey.

But the survey said the final weekend would be big for department stores, with nearly half of the respondents saying they would finish their shopping there, while a third said they would shop at specialty stores.

At Crossroads Bellevue, shoppers crowded into stores Monday after power was restored Sunday.

Marketing director Lynn Terpstra said shoppers tend to go there later in the season.

"I'm still hopeful that [retailers are] going to recover," she said.

Women's apparel store Shirazi reported thousands of dollars in lost sales. While business was busier than normal Monday, it's unclear whether they'll recover.

"It's hard to know what's really going to happen until it happens," said owner Lanse Jones.

Monica Soto Ouchi: 206-515-5632 or msoto@seattletimes.com