Some SouthCoast Retailers Already Pivoting Towards Halloween

Something weird is happening in the SouthCoast retail sector. It is August 4, and you can still buy a bathing suit. Beach towels and flip-flops are in abundance on most store shelves. Ocean State Job Lot in Dartmouth is still selling above-ground swimming pool kits.

There is not a winter coat in sight, and it's August. I kind of like this. I hope it catches on.

I am a bargain shopper. That means I buy things at the end of the retail season, which is generally July for summer clothes as the new winter stuff pops up by August at full price. You can get good stuff cheap that way.

Somehow the rules have changed this year. It is August, and summer abounds at most area retail establishments, except for a few already in holiday mode. Either they are attempting to extend summer or delay the onset of autumn. Either way, it's freaky. Not a single Christmas tree yet. Perhaps sales are down and too much summer inventory remains.

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While Walmart, Target, and Job Lot are still basking in summer, Marshalls and Big Lots have turned the page. Marshalls has gone full frontal Halloween and Big Lots is in Halloween commando mode.

The Fairhaven Marshalls has Fourth of July products at the head of one aisle and Halloween literally at the head of the next – talk about being lost between seasons. My buddy Gazelle recently posted an open letter to folks already sharing Haloween material on social media to cut it out.

Big Lots in Fairhaven is so excited about the holidays it has even put out some Thanksgiving stuff, but no Christmas yet.

Fairhaven's Dollar Tree is usually the first I see with Christmas products, but they were closed when I visited due to air conditioning issues. It must be the heat wave.

Oh well, sales tax-free weekend is coming up. Perhaps when that passes, we'll get back to normal, and Christmas trees will begin to appear. It is after all August, you know!