Drug Violence Leaves Mexican Shoppers Reluctant To Drive To Border Stores

by BELO Border Bureau Chief Angela Kocherga

EL PASO, Texas — Retailers are starting their back to school sales a little early, hoping to lure shoppers back into stores. This time of year border states usually see a boost in sales thanks to shoppers from Mexico.

But now some are reluctant to make the drive, and it’s not due to the recession.

It has been a slow summer for most malls, but on the border, retailers can still count on some big spenders.

“We’ve kind of bucked the trend a little. We’re in a unique situation because we have shoppers who come from Mexico,” said Cindy Fought, El Paso marketing director for Simon malls.

Border states benefit from Mexican shoppers who come for brand names and prices that are hard to beat. A store selling stylish plus-sized clothes attracts regular customers who drive in from the interior of Mexico. But lately the manager said she is seeing fewer of those customers.

“The ones that we do still get, they fly because they’re too afraid to drive through Juarez or the bad cities,” said Sherry Huerta, the store’s manager.

Drug violence in Mexico is driving them away.

“Se siente uno muy inseguro (you don’t feel safe),” said Francisco Chavez, a shopper from Mexico.

Chavez, a lawyer, had to be in Juarez and took advantage of the business trip to do some shopping in El Paso.

While some are reluctant to make the drive, those who do come often spend more money because they stay on the U.S. side where they feel safer. Many of those flying to the U.S. are also visiting cities beyond the border this summer.

It is spending that adds up for stores battered by a bad economy.