To compile the data for the report, Starwood Retail's mall staff requests year-over-year sales from approximately 28 specialty tenants and department stores. Staff obtains traffic figures through in-center wifi technology. Retailers also report on the best-selling items at their stores, giving an overview of what shoppers want and need. In addition, mall staff at seven centers representative of the portfolio will interview shoppers throughout the season for anecdotal evidence of their shopping plans and patterns. Of those surveyed so far, 53% noted they still had much shopping to do.

CHICAGO—The 2016 holiday retail sales season kicked off with healthy sales of apparel and strong traffic on Black Friday, according to Chicago-based Starwood Retail Partners in its first “Holiday Report,” its weekly update on sales and traffic figures throughout its 30-center portfolio.

The initial numbers appear to justify the optimism felt by many retailers in the run up to the holidays. A number of apparel retailers reported strong gains in stores around Starwood's portfolio, especially on Black Friday, as did cosmetics. Warm weather in the Central and East regions slowed outerwear sales, company officials say, but footwear was selling well at many department stores. Jewelry sales were mixed throughout the portfolio, with some tenants reporting double-digit declines from Thursday through late Saturday, while others reported equally large gains.

“With the stock market at record high levels and unemployment now under 5%, consumer confidence has returned, and shoppers are back in the stores,” says Scott Wolstein, chief executive officer of Starwood Retail Partners. “However, they do remain focused on finding value, with promotions particularly successful.”

Twenty-one of Starwood Retail's centers opened at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Centers reported that traffic was a bit slow on Saturday morning, and then picked up in the afternoon.

To compile the data for the report, Starwood Retail's mall staff requests year-over-year sales from approximately 28 specialty tenants and department stores. Staff obtains traffic figures through in-center wifi technology. Retailers also report on the best-selling items at their stores, giving an overview of what shoppers want and need. In addition, mall staff at seven centers representative of the portfolio will interview shoppers throughout the season for anecdotal evidence of their shopping plans and patterns. Of those surveyed so far, 53% noted they still had much shopping to do.