Getting the Goods for Back-to-School

With Beverly Hills schools welcoming back students Monday, parents have been preparing their kids for a return to the classroom.

Spend an afternoon wandering along Beverly or Rodeo drives and you'll see parents buying their children the latest fashions. Or stop by Rite Aid on North Canon Drive and try to navigate the crowded aisles as elementary and middle school students stock up on supplies.

But unlike recent years when some parents in Beverly Hills cut back due to the recession, many are returning to their old spending habits but would still like to pick up a bargain.

"She's shopped all summer for clothes for school," said Tina George-Reyes, whose daughter Lindsey is a senior at Beverly Hills High School. "She's already spent $200 and has another $200 to spend for school."

George-Reyes said that her daughter and her friends are also venturing beyond Beverly Hills to shop for clothes. The Grove, Beverly Center, Westside Pavilion, Century City and the Westfield Culver City mall continue to be popular destinations.

"When she was younger, we used to shop at the Gap, but not so much anymore," George-Reyes said. "Lindsey spends most of her time at the Beverly Center or Century City."

Nationwide, brick-and-mortar retailers have experienced an increase in back-to-school shopping, while online retailers continue to experience a rush just before school starts, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation. The Washington, D.C.-based trade association credits the increase to this summer's extreme temperatures driving consumers into stores and out of the pool.

According to the association, Americans are expected to spend a total of $55.12 billion on K-12 and college merchandise this year.

"It's good to see consumers responding to back-to-school sales and promotions," group President and CEO Matthew Shay said in a statement. "Back-to-school will be the first real test for retailers and the economy as we plan for the holiday season."

In a true sign of the times, more families this year say their school purchases were influenced by coupons, sales or promotions. Seventeen percent of families with children in grades K-12 say bargains and coupons influenced 100 percent of their purchases, up from 14.7 percent last year.

The survey also found more families will use the Internet for school purchases this year. Up from 12.2 percent last year, 16 percent of K-12th grade families will finish their shopping online.

"Last year, no one would spend on back to school," George-Reyes said. "But people are a little more secure and are willing to spend the money this year."

Erika Jaya, a sales associate at Lululemon Athletic on North Beverly Drive, agrees, saying the store has seen strong demand from high school students involved in dance programs and cheerleaders.

She said the boutique has been selling a lot of padded backpacks, sweatshirts and workout leggings.

"Their moms wear it, so they wear it too," said Jaya, who added that students have also been signing up for the store's free yoga class and runners club.

A few doors away at Sunglass Hut, a sales associate said Ray-Ban sunglasses continue to be popular with students at Beverly High, especially the brand's Wayfarer and Aviator models, which sell for $119 and $99, respectively. She declined to give her name, telling Patch she was not cleared to discuss the store's business.