Holiday Shopping Season In Full Swing At Oxford Valley Mall

The holiday shopping season was in full swing the night of Thanksgiving and on Black Friday at the Oxford Valley Mall.

Shoppers began filling the Middletown mall at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving and stayed until 2 a.m. on Black Friday. Hours later, the mall reopened at 6 a.m. and stayed open until late at night.

Jim Malvery, marketing director at the Oxford Valley Mall, said the mall was busiest between 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving through the mall’s closing early Friday morning. Once doors reopened, customers began to pour in again to scoop up the latest deals.

Lines were spotted outside the JC Penny’s store, Victoria’s Secret and Starbucks.

“We didn’t see no lines but we did see a lot of shoppers through the Macy’s,” shopper Renee Clinton said. Her friend Tynisa Kimble added that the sales at Macy’s were worth the 15 minute drive from her home in New Jersey.

Store officials at Macy’s were reporting a year-over-year increase in sales, Malvery said.

Luisa Mirabell and her daughter, Tessa, did some shopping at the mall after spending Black Friday morning taking advantage of deals at the nearby Best Buy.

Shoppers at the Oxford Valley Mall were treated to free massages on Black Friday morning and also sweet treats and bottled water. The goodies were all part of the mall’s Spread the Love campaign and will continue through Christmas, Malvery said.

As the mall transitions from just a shopping destination to more of a lifestyle center, more amenities for shoppers have been added in recent holiday seasons. Coat and package checks and personal shoppers have been added to help make shopper’s experiences more enjoyable, Malvery said.

“It’s been nice this year,” said shopper Kasey Laster of Levittown. “Lines aren’t too long but the stores look busy. I could get used to shopping here if the deals are always this good.”