Miss-Lou retailers may not have felt the effects of a slowing economy like the rest of the country this holiday shopping season. While leading retailers nationwide reported estimated sales totals that fell short of projections, local businesses met or slightly exceeded their own targets.

Clarence Bowlin, manager of The Sports Center, said both downtown and mall locations of the sporting goods store performed well through the holidays.

&uot;I can’t see any noticeable dropoff as far as our store is concerned,&uot; he said.

While he won’t know for sure until an inventory after the first of the year, Bowlin said he predicts holiday sales to be in line with the previous year.

Though the holiday shopping season at The Sports Center begins the day after Thanksgiving, Bowlin said it picks up considerably about the 10th or 15th of December and runs through Dec. 30.

Even after the Christmas presents have been purchased, Bowlin said holiday sales figures are boosted when young people – home from college or visiting relatives – stock up on hunting supplies.

Darby Short, owner of Darby’s Gifts and Decorative Accessories on Main Street, was hesitant to say how her holiday business fared because it’s still going. &uot;I think we had a good Christmas overall,&uot; she said. &uot;Of course, we don’t know just yet.&uot;

After-Christmas sales at Darby’s, which make up a considerable percentage of total holiday sales, run through the first week of January.

As a small business owner, Short said it is difficult to compare sales totals from year to year, which can fluctuate dramatically depending on a number of factors, including how much time she spends at the store.

Even Wal-Mart, which released disappointing national numbers earlier this week, did well locally, Natchez store manager Joel Hullet said.

&uot;Everything ran good,&uot; he said. &uot;The day after Thanksgiving and the week before Christmas were strong. We had a really good holiday all the way through.&uot;

The report from Natchez Kmart was similar. Manager John Christopher said he estimates sales for the year, including the holidays, were up over last year.

Christopher credits a store remodeling in the spring for the boost in business, because it added more departments, shelf space and products.

Sales at Natchez Mall were up compared to last year, but not as much as anticipated, mall manager Janelle Verucchi said.

&uot;Usually we have about a 7, 8 or 9 percent increase (during the holidays), but this year, it was more like 4 percent,&uot; she said.

Verucchi said she blames the calendar for part of the shopping slowdown. Christmas Eve – traditionally a busy day for last minute gifts – fell on a Sunday and discouraged many shoppers from the mall.

&uot;We look for next year to be better,&uot; she said.

While local businesses and retailers will begin tallying holiday sales totals soon after the first of the year, the City of Natchez will not receive its December sales taxes from the state until February.

City Clerk Donnie Holloway said he was aware of the nationwide holiday sales slump but isn’t convinced the same was true locally.

&uot;The stores I was shopping here in Natchez, there were a lot of people moving around,&uot; he said, also pointing out that much money is yet to be made from after-Christmas sales.

According to city sales tax figures, the city traditionally sees a surge in sales tax revenues during February, when December collections are returned from the state.

Revenues for fiscal year 1999-2000 averaged about $383,000, but jumped to $469,705 in February. And in 1999, January receipts came to $401,000 compared to $500,875 the following month.

Holloway said a good December would continue a sales tax resurgence that jumpstarted in October.