Local merchants ready for sales tax holiday

By Carrie Helms, Clarendon Enterprise 

As Texans gear up for the annual Tax Free Holiday school-shopping spree, local merchants are cutting prices and rolling out the red carpet for local buyers.

Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Rylander has announced that the annual Sales Tax Holiday is coming up August 2-4.

“Start making your shopping list for school clothes for the kids and new clothes for mom and dad,” Comptroller Rylander said. “During the Sales Tax Holiday, most clothes and shoes priced under $100 are exempt from sales taxes.”

For the fourth year, small businesses have the opportunity to give people in the community an extra incentive to shop close to home.

“The holiday is a great benefit to small businesses,” said Terry Floyd of Every Nook and Cranny. “We get a chance to do good business and give our customers a little extra.”

According to local merchants, the community has responded well in the past.

“Last year we did well,” Floyd said. “We had a lot of our loyal customers come in, and some from Memphis and Wellington stopped by on their way to Amarillo.”

Deanna Cornell of Cornell’s Country Store expects much of their business for the weekend will come not only from Donley County but also from traffic to the big city.

“At Christmas, we had a lot of people stop in on their way just to see what we had because we were new,” Cornell said.  “We expect the same thing will happen.”

Businesses are currently making plans in anticipation of the traffic..

“We already have things marked down,” Terry Askew of Saye’s said, “and weather permitting, we plan to move outside and have a sidewalk sale.”

For a good price on quality clothes, these hometown businesses prove consumers may not have to go far from home.

“We have a lot of shoes and clothes, and our spring and summer clothes are already on sale,” Floyd said. “There will be more markdowns this week; and when you take off the sales tax, it makes a pretty good deal.”

Examples of items that can be purchased tax-free August 2-4 include kids’ clothes and school uniforms, adults’ clothes, shoes, sleepwear and underclothes , as long as the items are priced under $100 each.

Items that cannot be purchased tax-free include handbags, wallets, accessories, athletic shoes, backpacks, and school supplies.