Gazette staff writer
Paulanne Paige quickly maneuvers through a narrow lane, dodging shoppers and checking prices on school supplies at Wal-Mart.
Her 5-year-old, who attends a Laurel Bay Elementary School, peeks out of the cart filled with notebooks, scissors and other standard back-to-school supplies.
"I'll easily spend $250 to $300 in school supplies and clothes," Paige said, looking down at her daughter.
Thousands of area shoppers are expected to turn out in droves this weekend to reap the benefits of the state's tax-free holiday to help with back to school expenses.
"My husband and I have shopped in North Carolina and Florida to participate in their tax-free weekends, too," Paige said.
This is the fifth year South Carolina has held a sales tax holiday. Since it began, taxpayers have saved nearly $11.5 million during the special weekend, according to S.C. Department of Revenue estimates. The agency estimates that shoppers saved more than 2.3 million in 2003 in tax exemptions.
People want to take part in this, said Lenora Grayson, an assistant manager with Kmart. She said the store will see more than 2,000 people a day buying school supplies.
"People are focused on our notepads, our stationary," Grayson said.
Items such as clothing, shoes, school supplies, computers, printers, printer supplies and computer software are all exempt from sales taxes for the three-day period.
But office supply stores and those selling stationary aren't the only targets of cost-conscious shoppers, said Brette Reed, general manager at The Athlete's Foot in Jean Ribaut Square on Boundary Street.
"Outside of November this is the busiest time of year for us," Reed said. "People come from as far as Varnville and Hampton."
Reed said a $179 pair of shoes with tax would cost $200. "You're talking about $20 worth of savings, so yes people are going to want to take advantage of that."
Area resident Lucretia Smalls, a mother of three, said she's thankful for the temporary break from sales taxes.
"No taxes goes a long way to helping out when buying a supplies for three elementary school children," she said.
Contact Omar Ford at 986-5538 or oford@beaufortgazette.com.