Ohio’s annual Tax Free Weekend kicks off Friday
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ST. CLAIRSVILLE -- The Ohio Valley Mall is gearing up for the unofficial kickoff of the back-to-school season.
Friday through Sunday marks Ohio’s annual Sales Tax Holiday, during which qualifying clothing, school supplies and instructional materials will be exempt from state sales tax.
Qualifying clothing priced at $75 or less per item and school supplies priced at $20 or less per item are eligible for the tax exemption. There is no limit on the number of qualifying items that may be purchased.
Marketing Director Candi Noble-Greathouse said the weekend is comparable to Black Friday in terms of the number of shoppers the mall attracts.
“It really is the unofficial kickoff, just like Black Friday is for the holiday season. It’s the kickoff to the back-to-school season. It is something that our stores and our shoppers anticipate all year. It’s a big, big time,” Noble-Greathouse said. “If you’re making a big purchase, then you can definitely save on your sales tax.”
She added that stores look forward to the weekend because they see a major uptick in shoppers throughout the three-day event.
“Our stores are always looking forward to it. We’ve been doing a lot of social media posting and I’ve had some models out in the mall showing exactly what your outfit from head to toe can be that will be totally tax-free if it falls into that category,” Noble-Greathouse said. “There’s not an overabundance of things that are over $75 besides shoes and some jeans, and I would say that more than half of our stores are selling some form of clothing that falls under $75.”
She added that she’s already seen shoppers browsing and preparing for the weekend.
Noble-Greathouse said that, much like the week before Black Friday, customers often visit the mall to identify items they plan to purchase when the sales tax holiday begins.
“We’ve had a lot of people already shopping for back to school and getting ready, but they also have been doing some window shopping and then will be back on Friday,” Noble-Greathouse said. “Because people know that this has been happening for years, they do that just like somebody would do for their holiday shopping.”
She added that stores throughout the mall have been preparing for the weekend all week.
“All of our stores have been amping up for that and getting ready for the back-to-school season,” Noble-Greathouse said.
She said a back-to-school fair will be held Saturday in Boscov’s Court to entertain families while they shop.
“We’ll have some games and some balloon art,” Noble-Greathouse said. “It’s just some activities for the kids as the crowds get larger and the wait at the register may be a little longer so the families can enjoy a little break.”
She added there will be several opportunities for families to relax and take a break.
“Of course, the kids zone normally ends up pretty full that day, as family members take time to rest their weary feet,” Noble-Greathouse said. “Kids also always like to stop at our tables and do some crafts and activities.”
The back-to-school fair will be held from 2-4 p.m. Saturday.
The sales tax holiday comes on the heels of the Belmont County Department of Job and Family Services announcing it will not offer its annual School Clothes for Kids Program this year.
Director Jeff Felton previously said the decision stems from anticipated federal funding cuts, staffing shortages and increased administrative demands related to changes in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Noble-Greathouse said the weekend is especially helpful for families trying to stretch their back-to-school budgets.
She added that the mall will give $25 gift cards to customers who present $250 in Ohio Valley Mall receipts dated July 20 through Sept. 7 at the customer service desk, while supplies last.
The receipts do not have to be from a single day and may include purchases from multiple stores.
Noble-Greathouse said qualifying receipts are not limited to clothing purchases but cannot include alcohol, gift card or lottery sales.