SHOPPERS HIT AREA STORES BEFORE DAWN

No last-minute elves here.

That's the consensus of major Cape Girardeau retailers whose doors opened just before dawn Friday to throngs of cash-toting, check-writing and credit card-carrying holiday shoppers.

People were waiting for Venture doors to open at 6 a.m. at West Park Mall.

"We're more than pleased," said Jim Govro, manager at West Park Mall. "A crowd had been waiting since 6:30 a.m. when we opened the main mall doors. All the parking spaces are full, people are in all the stores and they're leaving with packages."

More than 1,000 shoppers were lined up to await the opening of Target Store doors.

"We handed out 1,000 special holiday survival kits," said Rodney Hall, an assistant manager at Target. "They were gone the first half-hour."

Hall and his associates were surprised when they unlocked the doors at 7 a.m. "Shoppers were lined up to the street," he said.

People were buying, said Hall and Terry Godwin, manager of nearby Wal-Mart.

"We had a number of early morning specials, especially on electronics and toys," said Godwin. "Sales on these items were going great."

Parking spaces were at a premium at Town Plaza Shopping Center and in downtown Cape Girardeau.

The first big weekend of the 1995 Christmas shopping season just could exceed all expectations in Cape Girardeau, as consumers hit the stores in full force.

"You might say we had standing-room-only at Wal-Mart," said Godwin, whose store was also one of a few -- including Kmart -- open Thanksgiving Day.

"We did OK Thursday," added Godwin. "It was a day we would describe as average. But today is something else. We've been full all day."

Although retailers in many parts of the nation are not expecting record-setting sales this year, one national survey indicated that two-thirds of Americans plan to spend about the same on Christmas gifts this year as last. Nationally, retailers are betting on the Christmas sales to help turn around what has been a disappointing year.

Despite high levels of debt, consumers are still expected to charge more than $120 billion between now and Christmas, according to RAM Research, which tracks credit card use.

Cape Girardeau sales are up over most communities in the Midwest, Govro said, and local merchants are confident of a good season.

"We look at the Rouse Barometer, which gauges shopping centers throughout the Midwest," he said. "In October the Rouse report indicated that retail sales were down 2 percent. The Cape Girardeau mall had an increase of 9 percent, which put us 11 percent up on other similar operations."

Unemployment is low here and people are buying, said Govro.

"We're looking for good gains here," he said. "We're looking to a strong finish for 1995."

Merchants in all areas of town reported strong sales Friday.

"We've certainly had more business than the normal Friday," said Mia Lufcy of Hastings Book Music & Video in the Town Plaza Shopping Center, a store which is observing its first Christmas holiday season in Cape Girardeau. "Looking out the window, the parking lot is full," added Lufcy.

"We've been steady all day," said Steve Reimann of Garber's Men's Wear in Town Plaza. "We opened at 9 a.m. Friday and have been busy since." Garber's is expanding its shopping hours today.

"We'll remain open until 9 p.m.," said Reimann.,

Hartford's Apparel, 201 S. Broadview, is anticipating a good holiday season. "We've filled up the store for it," said Hartford Hill. "We noticed additional shoppers Friday."

"People have been everywhere in downtown Cape Girardeau," said Chris Hutson of Hutson Furniture. Hutson is president of the Downtown Merchants Association.

"There were a lot of cars and people were shopping," Hutson said. "We were just overwhelmed."

Animated window displays also have been attracting crowds. Animated scenes opened Thanksgiving at Furniture Fair and Hutson's Furniture in downtown Cape Girardeau and at Sample Floor Covering Center at 401 N. Clark.