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Article: Busy shoppers wrap plastic; Gift cards are popular with shoppers who are unsure what to buy, so today merchants will push the cards in hopes of ringing up sales.(NEWS)
- Article from:
- Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
- Article date:
- December 21, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 Star Tribune Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Melissa Levy; Staff Writer
Carstens Smith isn't puzzled anymore over what to get her teenage daughter for Christmas.
The 43-year-old Minneapolis woman has been buying gift cards from national retailers such as Barnes & Noble, Starbucks Coffee and Target, as well as local merchants Caribou Coffee, Juut Salon, Leeann Chin and Seven Bridges World Market.
Last year, Smith tied a similar selection of gift cards to the Christmas tree to the delight of her daughter Emily Smith-Earley. The pair then spent the week after Christmas shopping and redeeming the cards - giving 14-year-old Emily a lesson in budgeting to boot.
"I still think ...