Post-holiday shopping up about 10%

Area shopping centers crowded with people who got the day after Christmas off from work. FOR THE RECORD

An article in Tuesday’s Daily Pilot, “Post-holiday shopping up about 10%,” contained the wrong date for two events: Shoppers crowded the malls Monday, and the first day and second night of Hanukkah was Monday.

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Sights and sounds from a soggy South Coast Plaza parking lot on Monday:

A driver talking on her cell phone honked repeatedly at another motorist for being inattentive behind the wheel. A valet parking line backed up into an intersection, cutting off a lane of traffic.

And that was just outside.

The ground level of Nordstrom resembled the floor of the New York Stock Exchange after a major merger. A line nearly 100 people long formed outside Boulangerie restaurant around noon.

Terrilyn Betts seemed to find the only open space inside the mall -- and it was in the air. Betts held dozens of $6 and $10 balloons in one hand while taking money with the other.

The head seller for Treb Inc., an Orange County-based company that sells merchandise at South Coast Plaza, Betts was getting plenty of business on this morning.

But would she have been there for pleasure on a day widely regarded as one of the busiest for shopping?

“I wouldn’t do it the day after Christmas,” Betts said. “There’s too much chaos. Too many parking problems.”

Unless, of course ...

“If there were a huge sale, I would come,” she added.

The draw of after-Christmas sales -- plus the first chance to return gift items and use gift cards -- is what brought thousands of people to Newport-Mesa malls on Tuesday.

The Irvine Co.’s coastal collection, which includes Fashion Island, Crystal Cove Promenade and Corona del Mar Plaza, saw double-digit traffic increases from a year ago, according to Nina Robinson, vice president of marketing for the Irvine Co. retail properties.

Robinson said the increase was largely due to the fact that many had a day off from work the day after Christmas. Tuesday was also the first day and second night of Hanukkah, a holiday which often falls well before Christmas.

South Coast Plaza was expecting about 200,000 visitors throughout the day. The shopping center’s official hours were between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m., although many stores opened as early as 6 a.m. and extended evening hours, said Debra Gunn Downing, executive director of marketing for South Coast Plaza.

Gunn Downing said this year’s Dec. 26 shopper total would likely be a 10% increase from last year.

“Some shoppers didn’t get what they wanted and decided to come back to find a specific item,” Gunn Downing said.

One of the more noticeable lines formed throughout the morning and afternoon at Salvatore Ferragamo, a high-end Italian clothing store at South Coast Plaza.

A red rope -- like those used at movie premieres and dance clubs -- was needed to keep crowds from rushing into the store. Ferragamo was holding its first sale of the fall season.

Long lines didn’t discourage Irvine resident Ken Yoon from shopping.

“I saw the line, and I said, ‘It must be good in here,’” said Yoon, who was in search of a shirt or tie. “It’s kind of fun to see the crowds. I haven’t come here for a year.”

The line started to form outside Quattro Café before the 11 a.m. opening, according to host Juan Rangel.

“It’s never like this,” Rangel said. “It’s been crazy today.”

Doug Owens, a visitor from Pendleton, Ind., said he was enjoying the people watching and browsing at Fashion Island. Part of the enjoyment, he admitted, was knowing he didn’t have to wait in check-out lines.

He spent more than 30 minutes looking at merchandise inside the Apple Store.

“This is my chance to see what they do,” Owens said. “When I go home, I shop at an outlet mall. This is fun for me.”

* ELIA POWERS is the enterprise and general assignment reporter. He may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or by e-mail at elia.powers@latimes.com.

20051227is4qc9ncKENT TREPTOW / DAILY PILOT(LA)Ping Yuan, far right, and her daughter, Catherine, carry their purchases across the Bridge of Gardens with hordes of other shoppers at South Coast Plaza on Monday.