Hundreds Head to 5th Avenue Mall During Busiest Shopping Weekend of the Year

Anchorage, Alaska — The Saturday before Christmas is the biggest shopping day of the year for retailers nationwide, and Alaska is not exempt. Hundreds of shoppers headed to the 5th Avenue mall this weekend, looking for holiday gifts. To keep up with the demand, some stores have extended holiday hours.

The mall's director of marketing says a handful of new stores, like the Apple Store and Bare Essentials, are helping with sales, especially during the holidays.

Sales figures are not being released but a manager at JCPenney says this year appears to be somewhat slower than a year ago, and says he attributes the decrease to online sales. As for top-sellers this year, fine jewelry, winter shoes, and technology are what most Alaskans are buying, says Maegan Kaser-Lee, director of marketing.