Retailers: Fall Brings Good Business

Fall means more customers and more purchases for outlets, department stores and boutiques around Commack as they gear up for the holiday shopping season with new merchandise and seasonal lines, local retailers say.

“It’s going very well, thank goodness,” says Laura Greenfield, owner of on Jericho Turnpike. “In the summer, people tend to buy an outfit they need for an event. In the fall, people buy a lot of clothes all at one time because they’re layering, you know? People just need more clothing.”

Flared jeans and colored denim, with hues of purple, turquoise, teal and gold, are the biggest sellers right now, says Greenfield.

“Hot, hot, hot. We can’t keep them in the store,” she says. Also popular are “anything animal print,” as well as faux fur. 

Angela Fisher, who owns in the Bonwit Village shopping center, says she's seen her business picking up lately, and that there is a steady stream of seasonal items coming in.

"New merchandise is arriving every day," Fisher says.

At on Jericho Turnpike, owner Alan Schlosser says some classic looks are making a comeback in men's fashion this fall, and newer fabrics are enjoying some popularity.

"We're seeing a little resurgence in different types of leathers - more casual stuff. Microfiber's very hot. And a lot of guys are wearing casual sports jackets; jeans with sports jackets," says Schlosser. He says custom-fitted pieces are "doing very well," and that he has plenty of attractive sweaters and corduroys in stock as the temperatures drop.

Bix-box retailers are also reporting an increase in business. A manager at Macy’s says that sales are up from this time last year, and this year the store is making a push to respond to what customers have asked for and tailor the assortment to what they want.

Coach handbags are one of the lines recently made available, she says, and the Michael Kors “Ready to Wear” line of women’s apparel will be launched in two weeks.

At Target on Veteran's Memorial Highway, store team leader Christina Priest says that fall planning is “in full swing,” with seasonal displays including affordable Halloween costumes. Priest says that although Target is pretty much doing what it does every year at this time, she has noticed some unfamiliar merchandise.

“I’ve seen new decorations that I haven’t seen before, and I’ve been with Target for about four years now,” she says.

Priest stresses the importance of the hustle and bustle that the store is seeing right now.

“The fourth quarter is a huge quarter for us,” she says.