Back to School Outlet Mall Survival Guide

As any and all area residents likely know, weekends at aren’t for the faint of heart. The crowds begin pouring in on Friday afternoons during the warm weather season and then surge on Saturday and Sunday. And back-to-school shopping is truly the mall’s day(s) in the sun: the warm August weather makes for an amenable outdoor shopping experience compared with the Christmas season, and the mall’s focus on clothing and shoes fits the back-to-school shopping checklist like a glove.

Kristie Zeller, assistant manager for Albertville Premium Outlets, said a special Labor Day Weekend sale will be taking place this Friday-Monday, but there are other ways to save money as well. Signing up for the free VIP shopper club on their website will give you access to the special deals posted in the group's online VIP Lounge. There is also a $5 coupon book available at the mall’s office (located near the Levi's Outlet Store) that offers a variety of different deals at 80 of the mall’s 100 stores.

And what about when to go?

“The key to successful back-to-school shopping at Albertville Premium Outlets is planning ahead,” Zeller said.

Besides gathering up your coupons and deals before you head out, she said shopping today or tomorrow is the best bet for avoiding Labor Day crowds. If you can’t make it out until the weekend, Zeller recommended shopping between 10 a.m. and noon or between 6-9 p.m. to spare yourself some time in the parking lot and in checkout lines. The mall's special Labor Day shopping hours will be 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday through Monday. 

She added that some of the top trends they are seeing this back-to-school season includes skinny jeans in neon or bright colors and anything with an animal or tribal print. She said layering also continues to be a popular trend, with leggings, cardigans, blazers and hoodies giving that layered effect.

“Buy what you love now,” she advised. “Merchandise in the outlets sells fast and once it’s gone it may never be sold again.”