Rock Candy, a small sweets shop on Harford Road in Baltimore, recently opened just in time for two of the biggest chocolate days of the year.
After moving plenty of heart-shaped candies for Valentine?s Day, the local store stocked up on classic Easter season treats.
“People are buying a lot of chocolate bunnies, jelly beans and egg-shaped chocolates,” store owner Joel Tyson said Thursday. “We?re thinking things will be pretty busy this weekend.”
Candy stores aren?t the only retailers hoping for some sweet sales this weekend to kick off the spring shopping season. Consumers have clearly trimmed their spending in recent months, as Maryland?s retail sales in recent months have been lower than previous years, said Tom Saquella, president of the Maryland Retailers Association.
“This is an important time for our retailers, because you pretty much count March and April together with Easter and the rolling out of spring clothing,” Saquella said.
Retailers have had to roll out their spring collections and items earlier than usual this year, with this Sunday?s Easter holiday coming earlier than it has in 95 years.
“Easter is typically seen as the official kickoff to spring,” Tracy Mullin, president and chief executive officer of the Washington-based National Retail Federation, said in a statement. “Although this is one of the earliest Easter holidays on record, retailers are hoping that this year will be no different.”
Consumers are expected to spend a total of $14.44 billion on Easter food, clothing, gifts, flowers, decorations and candy this year, up from last year?s estimate of $14.37 billion, according to the NRF.
The NRF estimates that 79 percent of consumers will spend money on Easter-related items, with the average spender forking over about $135 on holiday items.
The average Easter consumer will spend $41.09 on Easter meals, $23.82 on clothing, $21.42 on gifts, $18.12 on candy, $9.11 on flowers and $7.21 on decorations, according to the NRF.
Candy sellers like Tyson hope shoppers will have a craving for caramel-filled chocolate eggs and Marshmallow Peeps.
“We?ve ordered a lot of candy,” Tyson said. “There?s a good chance we?ll have some left over to put on sale on Monday.”
