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Snow Actually Brings Out More Christmas Shoppers

DENVER (CBS4) - There was a green lining in the white stuff that fell Wednesday morning as shopkeepers at Cherry Creek North say the weather was a shot of Christmas spirit. They've had their windows decorated but now people are doing more than just window shopping.

The holiday attire is out, but it seems it took Wednesday's snow to get serious Christmas shoppers out to buy.

"November was a little bit down. They have definitely picked up in December, but this weather will really change things," a shopkeeper said.

Nationally, Shoppertrak, which analyzes customer traffic at U.S. stores, has cut its holiday sales forecast. Initially it predicted sales to be up more than 3 percent. Now it's reduced that number to 2.5 percent. But the snow may help pick up sales. At the locally-owned Eccentricty store, snow is already prompting some eccentric holiday buying.

The sidewalks are shoveled and the shoppers are out. The retailers are counting their blessings that the warm weather is gone.

"I was so excited. I thought, 'Today is going to be a good day,' " another shopkeeper said.

Adornments Boutique has sale racks to further entice holiday spending. At the Buffalo Exchange on Broadway, the store's merchandise is always on sale, but more people were buying on Wednesday.

"They wait until they wake up and see snow and then they come running here for warm clothes," the Buffalo Exchange manager said.

Shoppers simply bundled up. It seems Coloradans are a hearty bunch, preferring to shop when it's cold outside.

"You can find so many other things to do besides shop when the weather is nice," a shopkeeper said.

The business owners say it was the perfect storm for them -- snow, but no huge driving issues to keep shoppers away.

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