Having to wait an extra day for stores to open didn’t dampen Wollongong shoppers’ enthusiasm at yesterday’s post-Christmas sales.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Queues started early with 50 eager shoppers camped out waiting for Myer to open its doors at 7am.
By mid-morning, long lines snaked out of the multi-storey car parks and some customers reported waiting at cash registers for up to an hour to purchase their goods.
However, keen shopper Maddi Hutchinson, from Balgownie, said Wollongong Central was nowhere near as busy as Stockland Shellharbour’s Boxing Day sales.
‘‘I went to Shellharbour yesterday and I think the sales were better there, and there were a lot more people too – it was absolutely packed,’’ she said.
Ms Hutchinson’s shopping companion Rachel Wilson said she was happy to wait an extra day to shop in Wollongong if it meant retail workers could spend an extra day with their families.
‘‘I think it was nice to have a bit of a break after Christmas,’’ she said.
Throughout Crown Street Mall, bargain hunters of all ages rushed to snap up discounted clothes, toys and electronic goods, while packs of teenage boys and girls crowded into youth clothing retailers like General Pants, Jay-Jays and Parliament.
For Ryan Grimshaw and Tyler Sargent-Wilson, the sales provided a chance to catch up with mates and score some new surfwear for summer, while shopping was a family affair for Tarrawanna’s Jack Evans who accompanied his mother into town to buy supplies for their new home.
‘‘There have been a fair few people here all morning and the car parks were absolutely packed – we were just lucky someone was pulling out as we were going in otherwise we would have had to drive around for ages,’’ Mr Evans said.
Wollongong Central marketing manager Ben Hughes said retailers reported solid trade throughout the day and expected to serve about 50,000 people between 7am and midnight.