Summer officially over - as Limerick's Brown Thomas launches a Christmas shop four months before big day
LIMERICK shoppers making the most of the Indian summer were met with eye-catching scenes at Brown Thomas this week where the finishing touches are being added to a Christmas shop – almost four months before the big day.
With temperatures topping 21 degrees out on the street, inside in the store an array of baubles, festive ornaments, Christmas trees and twinkling fairy lights greeted shoppers on their arrival at the second floor.
The Brown Thomas stores are this week launching Ireland's first Christmas shops of 2010 and according to the general manager of the Limerick store the early opening is all down to demand.
"We buy in so much. It's in and it's gone. It moves fast enough. Okay, the children may be only going back to school but it's just to have the option. The spring summer season is well and truly over now as regards textiles, we are into the autumn winter season so it's there if people wish to buy," said Liam Dwan.
The shopping public, Mr Dwan says, are now much more precise in terms of what they want and therefore are planning well ahead of the hectic Christmas shopping season.
"People don't like to buy items altogether any more – they might come in once a week and buy a decoration instead of having to go and do the whole thing as one," he added.
For the people of Limerick, the news that a Christmas shop is opening with over 110 days left to Christmas Day has been met with a mixed response.
"Why don't they just leave it open all year round?" asked a bewildered Eddie Hickey from Athlacca out the window of his taxi on William Street. As the sun screen was being snapped off the shelves of the nearby Boots Chemist, by late holiday makers, Eddie couldn't quite get his head around the fact that Christmas trees were twinkling in a shop around the corner.
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Weather for Limerick
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 12 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South east
