.bodytext {float: left; } .floatimg-left-hort { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right: 10px; width:300px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 10px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} The housing slump and credit crunch that have plagued the nation in recent months don’t seem to worry Greater Des Moines’ mall operators. Most are hopeful that new stores, renovations and innovative promotions will attract shoppers – and their money – in greater numbers in the final months of this year.

Nationally, retail sales are expected to grow at a slower pace in November and December than in recent years, according to the National Retail Federation. The organization predicts holiday sales will increase 4 percent over last year to $474.5 billion, compared with a 4.6 percent increase in 2006. On average, holiday sales have had a year-over-year increase of 4.8 percent in the past 10 years.

Iowa State University economist Liesl Eathington says the 4 percent increase is a shift from what analysts forecast in the beginning of the year. “They were thinking the third and fourth quarters of this year would be strong, and they’ve sort of reversed that,” she said. “They’ve really tempered expectations based on changes in the national economy ¬¬- the credit crunch, household stress and all that.”

Greater Des Moines’ mall managers say they expect their retailers’ sales growth to be in line with or above the national average.

“I think we’d expect to fall in with the national average of a 4 percent increase over last year,” said Paul Stender, general manager of Valley West Mall. “Typically in the past, we’ve averaged the national average.”

“At Jordan Creek [Town Center], we expect the holidays to be an extension of a very successful year so far this year,” said Randy Tennison, senior general manager of the shopping center. “We have strong double-digit increases over last year, and we would expect that trend to continue through the holiday season.”

Tennison said traffic at the mall has increased significantly this year as the Des Moines economy has remained strong and retail, commercial and residential development continues around the mall. He expects sales to grow dramatically in the next three to five years as Aviva USA builds its headquarters nearby and Michael’s Landing, a residential development to the west, gets under way.

To really drive shoppers this year, Jordan Creek is hosting Rockin’ Shoppin’ Eve, where it will open its doors at 12:01 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving. Other malls managed by General Growth Properties Inc. that have tried this promotion found that they attract 25,000 to 35,000 people, and most retailers achieved their sales goals for the entire day by early morning.

“I think it will be a big boost,” Tennison said, “but it also will create a fun event that, if it goes well, could be something that is a yearly thing that families can get excited about.”

Jordan Creek also introduced a new service on its Web site about two months ago that allows shoppers to search for a specific product in participating mall stores before they arrive at the shopping center. “We’re still evaluating it,” Tennison said, “but at other properties that have had it a longer period of time, it seems successful.”

Southridge Mall is especially hopeful that holiday sales will be strong this year, spurred by the opening of Steve and Barry’s. The mall’s marketing manager, Kelly Thevenot, said many callers have expressed interest in the national chain, which sells quality fashion clothing at a very low price, such as a line designed by Sarah Jessica Parker with items under $20. The store will open on Oct. 24, followed by a grand reopening of the entire mall on Nov. 3, which will showcase improvements to the interior of the building, including a new food court and children’s play area.

“I think [Steve and Barry’s] alone is really going to bring in a lot of traffic,” Thevenot said, adding that “the excitement of having a newly remodeled center” will also help boost sales.

Most of the mall’s available tenant space will be filled with seasonal vendors. However, the shopping center also has launched a “Shop South” campaign, asking customers what stores they would like to see and then aggressively marketing itself to those retailers to permanently fill tenant spaces.

Valley West Mall is not expecting major changes to its holiday routine this year, except for the food-court addition of Carefree Patisserie, an extension of the bakery in Valley Junction, and the completion of remodeling several stores, including Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works and Limited Too.

Managers believe mall sales will be further boosted by a growing popularity for gift cards. Jordan Creek said it is consistently in the top 10 percent of General Growth’s malls for gift card sales and anticipates that sales will be stronger than last year as it rolls out a new marketing campaign. Thevenot said Southridge Mall’s gift card sales, which can be used anywhere Visa is accepted, not just at the mall, were up 80 percent in January.

The one thing malls may scale back on this year is their hours. Jordan Creek increased its hours dramatically last year, but said this year it will likely scale back closer to its 2005 holiday schedule. Tennison said being open very early in the morning did not seem to benefit retailers, but the later hours were successful.

Thevenot does not expect major changes to Southridge’s holiday schedule, but said other centers operated by The Macerich Co. have tested extended hours, which the mall could implement in the future.

Despite the excitement surrounding the holiday shopping season, Eathington points out that the holidays don’t have a huge impact in Iowa’s total retail sales, which include convenience store and automobile sales.

Looking at sales tax collections, Eathington said the fourth quarter tends to account for about 27 percent of the entire year’s sales.

“There are specific kinds of retailers that really do see the Christmas season as an important part of the year,” she said, “but the interesting part is that for so many others, it’s not that big of a deal.”

Part of that also is caused by retailers aggressively marketing for the holidays earlier and earlier each year, Eathington said.

Thevenot has noticed that Younkers department stores already have stocked their shelves with holiday decorations. “It just seems earlier and earlier every year,” she said.