The 2001 holiday season ended with sales at mall specialty stores increasing 2.1% in comparison with the 2000 holiday season, the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) reported.

Jewelry sales at specialty mall stores ended with a 0.6% increase over 2000 figures, according to the ICSC data.

The ICSC holiday report covered the 32-day sales period between the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve compared with the 31-day sales period in 2000.

The ICSC holiday report tracks sales from more than 4,000 specialty stores in 80 regional malls across the United States. The national sample does not include department stores and other mall anchors.

“As we expected, the extra day this year made a huge difference in helping the 2001 holiday season end with a sales increase over 2000,” said Michael Baker, director of research for ICSC. “Consumers delayed their purchases to the last week of the season – a predictable pattern in a long holiday season like this one. The real story of this holiday season is the strong home and family theme that ran through consumer spending patterns, giving the home furnishings and home entertainment categories strong year-over-year sales gains.”

Summary of Sales Results for November 23 – December 24, 2001 by category:

· Apparel – 0.6 %
· Food service + 0.7 %
· Footwear + 3.4 %
· Home furnishings and furniture + 4.9 %
· Jewelry + 0.6 % · Music, video, and home entertainment + 10.9 %
· Stationery, cards and books – 0.1 %
· Toys/sporting goods/other – 1.9 %
· Total + 2.1 %

JCK