Sales Tax Holiday Spurs Back-to-School Shopping

Friday morning, Karl Covert and his daughter Olivia stood in Largo’s Target store.  In front of them were stacks of pens, staples, and sticky notes.  Their eyes scoured a purple piece of paper.  It was a list of school supplies from Indian Rocks Christian School. 

In a matter of days, Olivia will begin the sixth grade.  Their plan?  To use this weekend’s sales tax holiday to purchase clothes and necessities for class.

Covert said the list “wasn’t too bad.”  So how much did he hope to save?  “We’re looking at (saving) maybe $30 with uniforms and school supplies and everything.”  

Belleair resident Donna Davich's daughter is starting fourth grade. They also browsed and purchased school supplies at Target on Friday, although not the entire list.

“We planned ahead.  But I have shopped today, so I probably saved $15,” Davich said.

Largo resident Kim Huff said she didn’t realize the sales tax holiday had begun.  “I’ll save... I guess about $7.” Huff has two children enrolled in Veritas Academy in Largo.  She shopped at Target for a specific reason. 

“(I’m getting) school uniforms and unusual supplies Target carries that Walmart doesn’t... like spiral note cards.”

Some of those items on school supply lists may be hard to find Saturday and Sunday.  Target manager Jill Crabtree stood nearby the school supplies aisles and monitored sales. “Graph paper, composition notebooks, and nap pads (for kindergarten) are the most popular,” Crabtree said. 

“We’re trending where we thought we’d be today.  Saturday will be the busiest day.” 

Crabtree also said Target is expecting big sales on underwear, socks, and other essentials for kids.  Those clothing items fall into the tax exempt category as well.

Find out the details on this y which ends Sunday.