Best bargains for shoppers
Published:Monday | August 27, 2012 | 12:00 AM
Keisha Hill, Gleaner Writer
It's that time of year again when many Jamaicans are looking back-to-school bargains and several stores in and around the Corporate Area are offering not just bargains but good school supplies including stationery, uniforms and miscellaneous items.
Here's what we found:
The Joseph's chain of stores is offering competitive prices on back-to-school uniforms, bags and lunch bags. They have khakis size 3 to 40 and uniform blouses ranging from short sleeves to three quarter inches from size four to 18. They are also suppliers of the Immaculate High School uniform and short-sleeved for sixth-form students at The Queen's High School. They also have in stock navy blue school pants for Jamaica College, and Hydel. Also available are uniform shorts from size three to 10 and raincoats.
Natalie Strachan Simpson, sales representative at Joseph's on King Street, said they have managed to hold on to the prices from last year. "We have been able to maintain the prices from last year. Our busiest days are mainly on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays," Simpson said.
AMMARS the Next Generation is also offering school supplies, mainly uniforms. These range from khaki shirts and pants; size two to 20 for children and 28-38 for, bigger boys. They also have white school shirts from size four to 18 and size 12 to 20. Also in stock are navy blue short and long pants, a wide range of socks for boys and girls, school and lunch bags, sneakers and school shoes, belts and boys' briefs, T-shirts and merinos, and leotards and tights for girls.
Melomi Clarke, manager for the King Street store, said they are expecting a big rush this weekend and they have enough stock to meet the demands.
The Woolworth chain of stores has always been synonymous with bargains galore. This year will be no different. Every item for back to school, except textbooks, can be found in these stores. Items range from exercise books to notebooks at varying single and wholesale prices, pens, pencils, school socks, rulers, paint sets, crayons, markers, igloos, pencil boxes, modelling clay, musical instruments including recorders, craft sticks, staplers, school bibles and physical-education shorts.
Donovan Montague, manager of the King Street store, said they have everything is store and he and his staff are adequately prepared for the back-to-school rush this weekend.
Best Mart, along King Street, also has some ridiculously low prices on school items. Khaki pants are being sold for as low as $99. You can also get varying sizes in khakis and white blouses at reasonable wholesale prices.
The Sangster's Book Store outlets are also fully stocked with much-needed textbooks and school supplies at reasonable prices.
Matar and Hanna Family are also offering 30 per cent off on school uniforms.
Carby's outlets also carry reasonably priced items on school uniforms and accessories.
It's really easy to get carried away in the back-to-school rush. But it is definitely more important to save more money by shopping around.