Post-Christmas, Saks Fifth Ave. Is a ‘Human Zoo’
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The sidewalks of Midtown and SoHo were packed with potential shoppers yesterday – but from initial anecdotal evidence, it appears that the overcast, drizzly day after Christmas might have proved dreary for some New York City retailers, many of whom were already hurting from last week’s transit strike.
With stores hoping to make up tens of millions of dollars in lost business due to the subway and bus strike, the retailers that apparently triumphed in the much-heralded post-Christmas rush were those offering major sales.
Saks Fifth Avenue, for example, which ran advertisements on Christmas Day promising to mark down some merchandise by 50% from 8 a.m. until noon, was a madhouse.
“The women’s shoe department is the closest thing to a human zoo that I’ve ever seen,” Ted Cohn said, upon escaping the department store with his wife, Linda, and two shopping bags. “They were pulling things out of each others’ hands.”
The Saks escalators were busier than the Lexington Avenue subway at rush hour. Mr. Cohn’s analysis turned out to be right on the mark: Otherwise respectable-looking women bashed each other with shopping bags and snatched up cowboy boots and shimmering high heels like they were being given away for free.
Igor Kaganovsky, who was shopping yesterday with two female friends, sat on a cushioned seat in the shoe department, guarding three Saks bags, as well as two shopping bags from Prada and an enormous package from Gucci.
Mr. Kaganovsky called the shopping environment “chaotic,” while one of his shopping mates, Ilona Izversky, said, “I’m shocked by the crowds.”
Back on the ground floor, a YSL makeup artist, Anita Galanter, said shoppers were rushing right past her to the reduced-price pocketbooks and the other sale items. But, she said, it seemed like a good day for business.
“I see a lot of shopping bags, so that’s a very good sign,” she said.
While women fought for good deals at Saks, other stores remained practically vacant or saw average foot traffic for a Monday, even though many New Yorkers had the day off from work.
Henri Bendel, which has been overflowing in recent weeks, was quiet yesterday, allowing shoppers to breeze through the usually packed aisles.
Carly Hunter, a design consultant at Femmegems, a custom jewelry stand on the second floor of Bendel’s, said it opened early at 9 a.m., “There was not a soul in the store.”
While more shoppers arrived by noon, business was still subpar.
“For us, it’s a little slow,” Ms. Hunter said. “People here are trying to get a deal today, and none of our stuff is on sale.”
Down in SoHo, the streets that were all but abandoned during the transit strike were mobbed with families and groups of girls. Many toted bags from Crate&Barrel, Old Navy, and H&M.
While some said they were buying presents for friends and family or gifts for themselves, more said they were redeeming gift cards or making exchanges, not buying new items.
According to estimates from the National Retail Federation, Americans will spend $18.48 billion on gift cards this holiday season, up 6.6% from last year.
A cashier at Victoria’s Secret, Diamonds Smalls, said the long line of customers waiting in line by the register might be deceptive since “most” people were exchanging holiday gifts or redeeming gift cards. Ms. Smalls added: “It was busier last week the day after the strike.”
While business owners might have been displeased that more people weren’t buying yesterday, shoppers seemed delighted.
“It’s not that bad,” one shopper, Lacey Burke, said of the crowds as she browsed through Victoria’s Secret. “I thought it would be a lot worse. It was worse before Christmas, I think.”
Samantha Averbuck, who was eyeing a pink sweater at Banana Republic, said the store was no more crowded than on an ordinary day. She added, “The other stores I’ve been into have not been very crowded. I think people are out of town.”
While the number of shoppers and purchases might not have met the expectations of store owners and managers, even the light crowds were frazzling for some people.
“It’s very crowded, very crowded,” Ruth Balis, who was returning gifts yesterday with her daughter, Janet Allen, said.
“People are making up for the time before, with the transit strike,” Ms. Allen said, before pushing a baby stroller draped with multiple bags from Crate&Barrel and Victoria’s Secret into the Scholastic store.
As of yesterday afternoon, there were no national or city numbers on post-holiday sales.