Last-minute Christmas shoppers have a quick route to International Plaza now that a new exit to Spruce Street opened early this morning. ...more

December 23, 2008

PLANT CITY - The Florida Strawberry Festival has a suggestion for last-minute Christmas shoppers who don't want to deal with the crowds at the malls: Tickets to the festival and its headline shows make great stocking stuffers. ...more

December 22, 2008

Rather than shopping exclusively at Orlando or Lake Wales malls, more Highlands County Christmas shoppers are buying gifts locally than they did last year. ...more

December 6, 2008

On Monday, skulls and skeletons competed for shelf space with Santas and Christmas trees at Michaels Arts & Crafts. ...more

October 7, 2008

SEBRING – There is not a lot of time left to find that perfect gift for that special somebody and apparently a bunch of Christmas shoppers are in that predicament. As of Dec. 18, just one week before Christmas, about 19 percent of men — and about 14 percent of women — had yet to begin their shopping, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation. The survey showed that 16.5 percent of all consumers hadn't started shopping. In Highlands County, some merchants agree with the survey about seeing more shoppers getting a late start, while other store managers don't see it that way. "We're swamped," said Tom Short, manager of Michaels Arts and Crafts at the Shops At Shelby Crossing in Sebring. "They are buying Christmas stuff like it is going out of style." ...more

December 23, 2007

A new study that ranks the Tampa area dead last among 30 cities as a "walkable urban place" leaves the false impression that life here is conducted at the drive-through window. ...more

December 10, 2007

Christmas shoppers are usually happy, and that can lead to blissful carelessness. Don't let down your guard. ...more

December 3, 2007