Shoppers pack stores for tax-free weekend

By Dave Thompson

Published: August 2, 2008

Customers packed Lynchburg businesses Saturday as Virginia’s tax-free weekend continued.

Businesses, as part of the sales-tax holiday announced by the Virginia Department of Taxation, marked off the 5 percent tax on back-to-school items and clothing.

River Ridge mall manager James Dolan said most businesses in the city’s shopping hub, especially clothing and shoe stores, staffed like they would for a holiday.

“The shoe stores are having a great day,” Dolan said, adding that he took advantage of the deal himself.

“I just got some (shoes) for the kids,” he said.

The mall stayed open until 10 p.m. Saturday, and Dolan said the doors would not close until 7 p.m., an hour later than usual, today, the last day for shoppers to avoid sales tax.

Lynchburg’s Best Buy, in the Wards Crossing shopping center, treated customers to a special deal, offering complete tax-free shopping through the weekend, though most of their merchandise doesn’t fall under the umbrella of the mandated tax break.

“It’s like Christmas, really, in those three days,” said Brandis Saunders, the store’s manager.

Saunders said some customers know ahead of time what they’re going to buy, while others are more spontaneous.

“We’ve had a couple of customers say, ‘Well, since it’s tax-free, I’m going to go ahead and get this item since we were going to get it anyway,’” she said.

Dave Leffke, of Lynchburg, said he didn’t realize, until he looked at his receipt for the phone he bought, that the store hadn’t charged tax.

That, he said, may have prompted a sense of urgency for his next purchase, a $2,000 computer.

Leffke said he planned to buy it in about a month, but the $100 he would save on tax made a purchase today a more attractive option.

“I may come back tomorrow,” he said, adding “I’ll need to check it out with my wife.”

Michele Martin, of Rustburg, loaded up on school supplies at Wal-Mart and Target for her daughter, Katelyn, who will start second grade at Yellow Branch Elementary School this fall.

“She had to have like five composition notebooks … one five-subject notebook,” Martin said, “pencils and erasers … highlighters, glue, hand soap,” and the list went on.

“We decided to come on out and get as much as we can today. That way we can get it all taken care of,” she said.

“Every little bit helps, that’s for sure.”