Shoppers charge on

Andrew Edwards

Exact sales figures have yet to be tallied, but representatives of

Newport-Mesa’s fancier retail centers said holiday shoppers spent big

bucks at local stores, drawn to high-end goods at South Coast Plaza

and Fashion Island.

“Luxury products seem to be what people are looking for,” said

John Braeger, vice president of Gary’s and Co. at Fashion Island. “It

was a great December; [sales were up] over 10% from last year, which

was a good year,” Braeger said.

A survey of 77 retailers released last week by the International

Council of Shopping Centers reported that across the United States,

retail sales were uneven.

Nationally, warehouse club stores and discount stores did well,

posting 7.3% and 3.2% gains in sales. Specialty stores gained 2.7%, a

modest increase, according to the survey. Department store sales rose

by 0.6%, though sales at Sears and May Department Stores declined.

The heads of local chambers of commerce said retailers’ holiday

business went better than the hit-and-miss trend described in the

survey.

“In our case, it’s been hit,” Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce

President Richard Luehrs said. “It started last summer. Everybody I

spoke with is up over previous years.”

Luehrs and Linda Leonhard, executive director of the Corona del

Mar Chamber of Commerce, did not have tabulated sales figures

available, but Leonhard said merchants along her side of Newport are

also talking about successful Christmas sales.

“We haven’t done any general type of survey, but just from

feedback, I think it’s been a pretty good year, better than last

year,” Leonhard said.

Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce President Ed Fawcett said he also

did not yet have numbers for Costa Mesa sales, but he had heard South

Coast Plaza had a huge Christmas.

Though South Coast Plaza spokeswoman Debra Gunn Downing said she

was unable to give exact Christmas sales figures, she said sales were

up about 20% during the mall’s “best holiday season ever.”

Sales were driven by luxury items, Downing said. Jewelry, apparel

and accessories were big sellers during the holidays and throughout

2004.

Merchants at Costa Mesa’s the Lab Anti Mall, with boutique shops

geared to hip consumers, and Newport Beach’s Fashion Island also did

well, though spokespersons for both shopping centers did not have

dollar figures available. The Lab spokesman Chris Bennett, however,

did report excellent sales.

The Irvine Co. owns Fashion Island and several other shopping

centers in and around Newport Beach.

“Initial indications are that our holiday sales performance was

healthy across our entire portfolio; our gift certificates had very

strong sales, especially at Fashion Island,” said Nina Robinson, vice

president of marketing for the Irvine Co.’s retail properties.