Local shoppers take advantage of tax-free weekend

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Shoppers across Tennessee over the weekend got to keep a little extra cash in their pockets, all thanks to the state’s sale tax holiday.

The weekend offers a tax break on certain clothing items, school supplies, and electronics. According to Daniel Blosser, store director for Academy Sports + Outdoors, the former items tend to be the most popular.

“It’s one of our busiest weekends, along with Father’s Day and Christmas,” said Blosser. “But it’s very crowded. Mostly back-to-school shoppers and looking for apparel.”

Shoppers like Whitney Story said her family tends to wait for the tax-free weekend to buy school supplies for the extra savings.

“With twins, we have to buy a lot of stuff,” said Story. “So the tax, it adds up. So saving that little bit of money helps.”

Story said she can see the impact when she checks her receipts.

“I can definitely tell the difference in those prices,” said Story. “Just with the tax being off it.”

While the weekend tends to spotlight national chains, many local businesses offer similar deals to their customers.

Businesses like Mahoney’s Outfitters see their crowds grow over the weekend, and not just for school shoppers.

“We sell as much stuff on tax-free to the open public [as] we do to the school kids,” said Dan Mahoney, President of Mahoney’s Outfitters.

While the store doesn’t sell electronics, many school kids tend to come in for their footwear and apparel. Mahoney said the business they see over the weekend helps support their business.

“It’s mainly [that] small businesses need to be singled out quite a bit more in different weekends like this,” Mahoney said.

The Tax-Free weekend in Tennessee ends Sunday, July 28th, but the Tax-Free weekend in Virginia will begin Friday, August 2nd.

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