The traditional commercial frenzy for Mother’s Day seems to have cooled down this year in the Historic Center of Santiago, where merchants report a drastic drop in sales and practically deserted streets just hours before one of the most important dates for the local economy.
Concern has intensified among merchants due to the scarce presence of shoppers on Del Sol street, the city’s main commercial artery, which is historically characterized by intense economic activity during this season.
The president of the Association of Merchants of the Historic Center of Santiago (ASECENSA), José Octavio Reynoso, confirmed that sales have decreased considerably compared to previous years, directly affecting dozens of businesses.
“According to the reports we have had so far, sales have decreased considerably. In previous years, the week before Mother’s Day generated a positive impact on businesses,” Reynoso expressed.
He indicated that merchants remain hopeful that a recovery in sales will occur from this Friday and during the weekend, although he acknowledged the uncertainty that exists in the sector.
“The merchants are quite worried about the decrease in sales, but we are confident that this weekend trade will begin to pick up,” he added.
The image of Del Sol street, half-empty, contrasts with the atmosphere of previous years, when thousands of people crowded the stores in search of gifts for mothers, turning the area into one of Santiago’s main economic engines.
Merchants attribute the low commercial activity to the deterioration of the purchasing power of many families and to the climate of economic uncertainty that, they claim, has curbed consumption on a key date for Dominican commerce.
