Tax-free week brings sales, shoppers to the Avenue

GREENWICH — Stores on Greenwich Avenue are seeing an influx of last-minute back-toschool shoppers, with Connecticut’s annual Sales Tax Free Week running until Saturday and school 10 days away.

Christiane Lesesne, 11, left Swedish outdoor outfitter Fjällräven, the avenue’s newest addition, clutching a brown bag with her new royal blue Kånken backpack nestled inside Monday.

“Almost everyone I know has one,” she said.

National back-to-school spending for K-12 and college is projected to reach $82.8 billion, nearly as high as last year’s $83.6 billion, according to the National Retail Federation, the largest retail association in the U.S. According to the group’s annual survey, shoppers plan to spend on average more than $200 on clothing and above $100 on supplies, with electronics spending in steady decline.

During Connecticut’s week of promotions, most clothing and footwear items priced under $100 are exempt from sales and use tax. Connecticut shoppers are expected to benefit from approximately $4.8 million in tax breaks, according to the Department of Revenue Services.

Sunday, Christiane and her mother, Briana, shopped for school from 10:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., she said. Christiane rattled off stores she and her mom visited, proudly mentioning ZARA, as she no longer has to wear a school uniform — unlike Eric, her 10-year-old brother.

Briana Lesesne estimated the promotional event saved them $30.

Children have a strong influence on their parents’ spending decisions during back-to-school shopping, Prosper Insights Executive Vice President Phil Rist said in a statement. Prosper analyzes consumer behavior in the U.S. and China to predict market trends.

“This shouldn’t come as a surprise when social media tools such as Pinterest and Instagram have allowed Gen Zers to be more selective in the items they want,” he said.

Like the Kånken.

“It’s a thing,” Christiane said. Backpacks account for most of the store’s sales, assistant manager Romona Thomas said.

Her manager, Sean Woebse, hypothesized the bag’s simplicity and straightforward design could contribute to its popularity.

“But when something catches fire, it just catches fire,” he said.

Three high-school-aged girls entered and headed straight for the rainbow row of backpacks as Thomas explained the bag’s popularity Monday. The day before, two girls stood in front of the backpacks for almost an hour choosing the perfect color, she said.

Up the avenue, outside Vineyard Vines, a chalkboard sign advertising back-to-school sales and the sales-tax-free week attracts customers who otherwise do not know about the statewide promotion, said store manager Millie Harris.

The preppy clothing store offers a 15 percent discount to students with a school ID, Harris said.

“College shoppers are prioritizing and increasing their spending budgets in essential categories including clothing, furnishings and shoes,” National Retail Federation Vice President Mark Mathews said in a statement. The NRF survey found college students plan to spend $153.32 on clothes.

Harris anticipates more traffic later in the week.

“A lot of customers from Greenwich are still away on vacation,” she said. “A lot of customers also finished their back-toschool shopping before going on vacation.”

While some are returning to town from overseas, the Lesesnes are wrapping up their summer in Greenwich before flying on Monday back to London, where the family lives for most of the year and father Cap Lesesne has a branch of his plastic surgery pratice. Christiane is in her seventh year at St. Paul’s Girls’ School and Eric is in his sixth at Westminster Cathedral Choir School.

“It’s the last of the pool, biking and the beach,” Briana Lesesne said, adding that her kids are nearly finished with their summer homework.

The Lesesne’s still have a long to-do list before school starts, however.

Next is the orthodontist, dentist and pediatrician appointments.