After Christmas, stores still busy

Charlene Colley from Mexico, Mo., returns a toy soldier on Wednesday at the Bass Pro Shop on Vandiver Drive in Columbia. She bought the toy as a Christmas gift but ended up not giving it away.   ¦  CATALIN ABAGIU

Despite weeks of Christmas shopping, many Columbia residents didn’t miss the opportunity Wednesday to snap up some bargains during post-Christmas sales.

Sonja Derboven, a customer service representative at Columbia Mall, said that despite a slow morning, by afternoon there had been “quite a bit of traffic.” Downtown stores weren’t packed with the same sorts of crowds they drew before Christmas, but there were ample numbers of bargain seekers. Cool Stuff and The Alpine Shop were among the busy spots.

Mark Haim of the Peace Nook, a basement shop on Broadway that specializes in environmentally friendly products, said that despite “three consecutive weekends of snow and ice, the season ended on a high note. One customer and his grandmother bought 19 T-shirts for friends and family.”

Judging by the number of shoppers out and about Wednesday, if you are after a bargain, you’d best be quick.