Happy Thanksgiving OT. This is my 2nd installment of “NOLANOLA’s Memory Lane”. If you missed the one I did in January here is a link. I hope everyone enjoys remembering what we likely all agree was a much simpler time during the 1999 holiday season.

Sears, 107 years old at the time, was doing well and was not yet part of Kmart. They still published their Christmas Wish Book which you’ll see a few highlights of below. Other retailers that you might shop for the 1999 holiday season would include Kay Bee Toys & Service Merchandise. If you’re worried about Y2K maybe a stop in at CompUSA would help. Although as you’ll see below LA Gov. Mike Foster already has that under control for state agencies.

A 1999 NYT article published on Christmas Day tells us that “the leading Internet portal”, Yahoo!, “recorded more purchases through its Web site in five days this month than during its entire 1998 holiday season”. The article goes on to boast that January post holiday retail sales reports should be the strongest since 1994. A memorable quote from this article would fit in today on the OT as Mass resident Catherine Russell is quoted as saying ''I am getting cashmere for my mother, my sister and my housekeeper”.

Hot electronic items would include “flat-screen televisions”, “the latest digital cameras”, “DVD players” & “personal digital assistants”. Game consoles of choice would have been Nintendo 64, Sega DreamCast & Sony PlayStaiton. Microsoft’s Xbox would be 2 years away from release. In fact sales of electronics were expected to be up nearly 15% year over year. Americans were getting a taste of the electronics boom of the 2000s and loving it.

Locally here in the New Orleans area the shopper wouldn’t have to go far to get to a mall. Northshore? Head over the Slidell’s Northshore Square. Downtown? How about the swanky New Orleans Centre or Canal Place. If you’re up for something a bit more quirky The Riverwalk had stores that could not be found elsewhere locally. The Plaza in New Orleans East would have an offer that you’ll see below that is likely too hard to pass up. In Jefferson Parish you would visit Oakwood, Lakeside, Clearview or The Esplanade but no longer would you have access to the West Bank’s failed Belle Promenade. A more adventurous New Orleans family may visit the shiny new flagship Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge.

In just a few weeks New Orleans residents would be invited to a “Caroling Under the Stars Event”. The venue? Jazzland which would open in just a handful of months. Hundreds of locals had their first chance to walk the under construction amusement park as a preview. Sponsors of the event included Hibernia Bank and Criminal Sheriff Charles Foti. Want to give a season pass to the family? Head over to your nearest Winn-Dixie, an official sales outlet for locals to pick up Jazzland passes.

Where’d you buy those Thanksgiving groceries? It was likely a difficult year for many locals as Schwegmann Giant Super Markets filed chapter 11 and the remaining 23 stores closed at least under the iconic banner. Although by this point Schwegmann was owned by out of state investors. This would make way for smaller outfit Robert Fresh Market and the fast growing Sav-A-Center chain to take market share. Delchamps was hanging on but also in bankruptcy.

What about Rouses? In a market report that covered “much of Southeast Louisiana and parts of Mississippi” the bayou grocer with 12 stores had just 3.4% of the market falling just below Wal-Mart’s 4.8% share. The leader? Winn-Dixie at 30.2%.

How about online shopping? It wasn’t a thought it most people’s heads yet. Looking over some archived views of walmart.com, compusa.com and sears.com the retailers did basically nothing to woo online shoppers during the 1999 holiday season. Times have changed.

A new year's eve Times Picayune article makes quick mention that Jesse Ventura & Donald Trump would make an appearance next week in Minnesota as Ventura was recruiting Trump to join the Reform Party.

BFI would like to remind you...

Y2K bug? No worries from the LA Gov...

No better time to buy a 50" big screen with picture-in-picture. No better place locally than Kirschman's...

How about a unique gift? Buy a personalized brick for someone at the D-Day museum...

The 2000 F-150s are in stock. This XL series includes A/C and carpeted floors. Truck nuts not included...

How could you go wrong with free voicemail, 10 cent per minute long distance and 1000 ANYTIME minutes for $50?...

If you bought a shiny new PC you'll likely want to get your photos on it. Head over to Wolf Camera and they'll transfer your paper photos to a Kodak Picture Disc or CD...

Time to take that new truck over to Hill Behan Lumber for some great deals...

All of that holiday eating means you'll want to get some new walking shoes...

Can't decide want to get your boo? Maybe a Ticketmaster outlet can help...

If you can't make it out to the video store for a rental during the holdiays no worries as COX PPV has you covered...

When the old lady is shopping you'll be glad to have this handheld TV from Sears to pass the time. Could life get any better for the modern man?...

Need a quick gift for your office party? Dilbert and Sears always deliver...

If you made it this far then you might as well go all the way and enjoy a free Christmas tree from New Orleans East's Lake Forest Plaza...