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  • Rose Echols sets up backpacks to get ready for Tax Free Weekend at JCPenney at Central Mall on Thursday in Port Arthur. Morgan Jones

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August 17, 2012

Tax-free weekend brings back-to-school bargains

Josh Brown The Port Arthur News

— Tax-free weekend starts today, and local retailers are stocked up and ready to meet the demands.

In preparation for the new school year, Texas shoppers will not pay sales tax on items like uniforms, clothing, footwear, swimsuits, backpacks, diapers and school supplies from Aug. 17 to 19. Most items must be listed less than $100 to be exempt.

Qualifying items sold online and by television or mail will also be tax-exempt. Layaway items are exempt if the customer places in item on layaway or makes the final payment during the weekend, according to the Texas Comptroller’s Office.

Shoppers will save an average of $8 for every $100 spent on select items, according the Texas Comptroller’s Office.

Lorenzo Garza, the JCPenney store leader at Central Mall, said the company has added several new clothing supplies in preparation for the back-to-school sale. Hours for the store have been extended for the tax holiday.

“It is very comparable to after Thanksgiving,” he said. “It can get rather hectic.”

All JCPenney stores are giving free haircuts for kids the entire month of August, another incentive the company added for shoppers before the school year begins.

“We’ve had a tremendous response and positive comments,” Garza said. “They’ll save money, and it will basically give them the opportunity to spend that money throughout the store.”

Garza said the biggest items the store usually sells are kid’s clothes, backpacks, shoes and uniforms.

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