KJZZ.org

Arizona’s retailers said they are cautiously optimistic about spending during the holiday season. Michelle Ahlmer of the Arizona Retailers Association said they expect a slight increase in spending over 2012.

“It’s a later holiday, so that always impacts shopping a bit, but definitely we saw an uptick over the weekend of foot traffic, so that’s always a good indicator,” Ahlmer said.

She said many retailers will be open on Thanksgiving, but it is unclear how many shoppers will embrace the new holiday hours.