New Orleans - Retailers and shoppers are halfway to the finish line when it comes to holiday shopping. The early prediction was that people wouldn't spend as much this holiday season, but the local merchants FOX 8 talked to say they're not seeing that, and things are definitely starting to look up.
From Canal Street to Magazine Street, the outlook remains upbeat.
At Hazelnut, a shop owned by actor and New Orleanian Bryan Batt, business has been brisk. Batt says it seems "homegrown" is in.
"People are out, they're shopping and they're shopping more than last year and what I really like is that they're shoping local, says Batt. "They're going to magazine street, the french quarter, their neighborhood stores. I think it's very important to so that and so far so good."
No matter where you're checking off the holiday list, the countdown is on... With less than 2 weeks left to shop until Christmas.
