Retailers, in final sprint, expand store hours
Elizabeth Grant, of East Northport, helps her son Munro shop for a Christmas present for his girlfriend at the jewelry counter at Kohl's in Bay Shore, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2014. Credit: Danielle Finkelstein
Several major retailers will offer extended store hours this weekend to lure shoppers hunting for last-minute gifts.
Retailers and experts expect many shoppers will hit the stores on "Super Saturday," as the industry refers to the last Saturday before Christmas.
Kohl's will keep its doors open more than 100 hours straight, from 6 a.m. Friday through 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve, Wednesday. Most Walmart stores will be open 24 hours until Christmas Eve, when they will close at 8 p.m.
Starting Sunday, Macy's four Long Island stores -- at the Manhasset, Smith Haven, Roosevelt Field and Green Acres malls -- will be open round-the-clock until 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Toys R Us stores nationwide will be open Saturday through Monday from 6 a.m. until 2 a.m., and around the clock from 6 a.m. Tuesday through 9 p.m. Christmas Eve. Target's store hours through Tuesday will vary from 7 a.m. or 8 a.m. to midnight, and on Christmas Eve from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. or 10 p.m.
Malls such as Roosevelt Field, Walt Whitman Shops, Smith Haven, Green Acres, Westfield Sunrise and Westfield South Shore are opening at least two to three hours earlier and staying open about one to two hours later.
About 14.5 percent of shoppers who have completed less than half of their shopping will look to Saturday to buy their last gift, and 9.1 percent will wait until Christmas Eve, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation.
"We've still got critical shopping days ahead of us," said Danielle Conte, a Centerport-based retail consultant and founder of customer shopping experience blog YoutailRetail.com. "As we get closer to the actual holiday, there need to be gifts under the tree. Online shopping will go down and that's when the store traffic will reap the benefits."
Roosevelt Field will be open on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. The mall will be open on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., and on Christmas Eve from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Walt Whitman Shops will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., and on Monday and Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., as well as on Christmas Eve from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Smith Haven Mall will be open Saturday through Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and on Christmas Eve from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Green Acres Mall will open at 9 a.m. on Friday, 8 a.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. Sunday, and will close at 11 p.m. The mall will open on Monday and Tuesday from 7 a.m. to midnight, and from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Westfield Sunrise will be open Friday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., on Saturday from 7 a.m. to midnight, and on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday from 8 a.m. to midnight.
Westfield South Shore will be open Friday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. and on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Both Westfield malls will open on Christmas Eve from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
SARRA SOUNDS OFF: Dunia's comeback, Wyandanch hoops, more Newsday's Gregg Sarra hosts a new show covering the latest in high school sports on Long Island.
SARRA SOUNDS OFF: Dunia's comeback, Wyandanch hoops, more Newsday's Gregg Sarra hosts a new show covering the latest in high school sports on Long Island.
