“Retail Winter” vs. “Meteorological Winter”
Scarcely one week after local wind chills of minus 50°(!) below — and with overnight temps of minus 17° below forecast this Friday night — you might think it a tad, umm . . . premature to herald the end of Winter in the Twin Cities.
But, it’s most certainly the end of Retail Winter.
Don’t believe me?
Just try to find a pair of winter gloves (extra-large), a flannel shirt, or turtleneck at a Twin Cities area Target (I just did — no luck).
What’s on the shelves instead (or about to be)? Swimsuits, suntan lotion, and flip-flops. Really.
Which segues into my long-time definition of when the Spring housing market officially debuts in the Twin Cities: “the first stretch of warm weather, after the Super Bowl . . . or when Target starts selling swimsuits.”
P.S.: For non-Minnesotans, “warm” is defined as above 20° degrees. 🙂
See also, “When Does the Twin Cities Spring Market Officially Debut?“; “Approaching the Half-Way Point of the Spring Housing Market (Really!)“; and “Jumping the (Spring Market) Housing Gun.”