After-Thanksgiving holiday sales met the expectations of most local businesses as shoppers rushed for weekend deals, despite wintry weather.

Merchants at Eastwood Towne Center in Lansing Township were pleased with the weekend's business, said senior property manager Brad Wick.

"Our weekend was pretty normal," Wick said. "This being our third Thanksgiving here, they were pretty much within expectations and not record-setting - but they never are."

But business was busier than an average day, he said, adding that holiday sales will continue to flourish up until the end of the year.

"The numbers will actually rise for us as we get closer to Christmas," Wick said.

He added that the Friday after Thanksgiving is not typically the busiest day of the year at Eastwood Towne Center - the Saturday before Christmas is traditionally heavier.

Meridian Mall in Okemos followed national trends, with Friday being the heaviest and Saturday and Sunday being softer in traffic, said Claudia Bleil, marketing director for the mall.

Sales figures from each store have not come in yet, but when they do, Bleil said she anticipates they will match the mall's projections.

"We're optimistic that this will set the trend for the rest of the holiday season," she said.

In general, retailers entered this holiday season with increased sales and optimism, said Tom Scott, spokesman for the Michigan Retailers Association.

October sales figures show 42 percent of retailers reporting increased sales, as compared to each retailer's holiday performance last season, which is up from 37 percent in September. A lower number of retailers reported a decrease in sales - 43 percent in October, down from 49 percent in September.

The improvement in October was the first increase in several months, Scott said.

"We were hoping it was going to provide some momentum going into November and the Thanksgiving weekend and it appears it did," he said.

Scott added that nationwide, consumers spent $22.8 billion in sales this past weekend, and Michigan is expected to fit the pattern.

"Obviously, everyone wants to get the season off to a good, fast start," he said. "One weekend doesn't make it, but it's sure better to start the season off with a strong weekend than a dismal one."

In downtown East Lansing, rainy weather might have contributed to slower Saturday and Sunday sales, said Rick Pniewski, manager of CD Warehouse, 228 Abbott Road.

Pniewski said Friday's sales were better than average.

"People have to park and walk around to go to things (downtown), and if it's raining, it doesn't bode well for business, unfortunately," he said.

Although it was busier Friday, Pniewski said it is hard to make projections for Christmas season sales.

"We don't bank on a lot of Christmas sales down here," he said, adding that in December, students go home to celebrate the holiday. "A lot of businesses put a lot of stock in their December sales, and we've just learned not to do that.

"We know it's going to happen every year."

Lindsay VanHulle can be reached at vanhull3@msu.edu.

A survey of retailers showed that most expect increases in sales, prices, promotions and hiring over the next three months. The data from October 2004 is compared to each retailer's holiday performance last season.

Source: Michigan Retailers Association