“The hustle is on!” declared Dujon Weekes, a parent shopping for his five children as the back-to-school season reached its peak in Bridgetown. His words captured the spirit of determination that permeated the bustling shopping district, where parents navigated crowded aisles in search of uniforms, textbooks, and school supplies.
Weekes, currently unemployed, embodied the financial strain many parents faced.
“Expensive, expensive, expensive,” he said, summarising the sentiment shared by many. “This morning, I came town with a thousand dollars, and it soon gone now.”
Despite the challenges, Weekes remained resolute.
“I will get everything even if I have to break myself . . .It’s in the interest of my children and getting a better future for them.”
This was Weekes’ second round of shopping.
“The first time I went shopping I didn’t have enough to money to buy everything. I just bought certain things and I’m back for the rest now,” he said.
When asked about the ease of finding items, Weekes admitted: “It’s hard. You have to be here and there to find something you want. Everything selling out.”
Kenesha Blake described her back-to-school shopping as “a little bit rough.” She had to make difficult choices, reducing the number of shirts she could buy for her son from five to two, just to afford essential items like shoes and books.
“The prices are ridiculous,” Blake lamented, suggesting that bulk purchasing options for uniforms could provide some relief for parents. Despite the challenges, Blake reported no trouble finding items, primarily shopping at Woolworth where she found everything she needed.
The financial challenges were further highlighted by Kerrion Darlington, who was shopping for her 13-year-old disabled son for the first time. Previously relying on donations, Darlington faced additional hurdles due to her unemployment and health issues.
“I don’t work, and I have carpal tunnel syndrome in both arms,” she said.
Jason Collymore, whose son was entering Class 1, took a different approach. He started shopping as soon as he received the school list, spreading out the expenses over time.
“I don’t wait until the last minute,” Collymore stated. Acknowledging the price increases, he noted, “The cost of living here getting a little too ridiculous, but there’s nothing much you could do about it at this stage. Just gotta roll with the punches.”
Shekelie Gollop, shopping for her daughter entering second form at Alleyne School, expressed concern for families with multiple children, noting, “a uniform for a hundred dollars is too much money. I feel for people who have more than one kid. Times hard.” Gollop, who had just started her shopping trip, was focusing on uniforms, having already purchased other school essentials during an overseas trip.
On the retail side, stores reported brisk business as the school opening date approached. Stacey Wharton, store operations manager at Duty Free Bridgetown, described a constant flow of customers since the end of Crop Over. Additionally, with the closure of Days Bookstore, there had been a particular surge in textbook sales.
“Overall, we’ve seen very good customer flow,” Wharton reported, anticipating an “exceptional” weekend as the final days before school counted down. She assured that despite high demand, they were “pretty good in terms of having stock,” having received multiple shipments to replenish sold-out items.
Martin Bryan, managing director at Woolworth, observed a shift in shopping patterns.
“I think a lot of parents have already gotten school uniforms, so the school uniform department is not as busy as it was two weeks ago,” he said.
Contrastingly, Bryan noted that the stationery and book sections of the store had seen a recent, significant uptick in sales, with more customers focusing on these items.
Bryan also acknowledged some delays in fabric arrivals, which affected the availability of ready-made uniforms, but assured that 85 to 90 per cent of their stock was available.
Eddy Abed, managing director at Abeds, reported similar challenges.
“We had a late arrival of merchandise primarily because of the logistics going on in the world. Gratefully our customers have understood our problems, and they have waited,” Abed stated.
Abed, however, emphasised the stores’ preparedness for the rush.
“We’re still well stocked. We’re confident that those who still need supplies, we’ll be able to satisfy them.”
Abed also highlighted the store’s three-month discount on school items, acknowledging the financial pressures many families faced.
“Our customers enjoyed three months of discounts. We’ve seen many people asking for assistance, and I think it’s reflective of the level of need in society,” he observed. (DS)
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