RETAILERS WOO HOLY DAY SHOPPERS CHOCOLATE EGGS AND MATZO BALLS FILL STORE SHELVES.

Byline: Brent Hopkins Staff Writer

With Passover and Easter converging with the shop-heavy spring break, retailers' aisles are bustling.

Whether they're arranging chubby stuffed bunnies or bringing out boxes of matzo, stores are busy, keeping sharp for a heavy traffic week in what is traditionally a relatively mild retail season.

``It makes it more exciting,'' Elizabeth Carovillano, marketing director for the Woodland Hills Whole Foods, said with a grin as she straightened a row of organic matzo. ``But we'll do really good business this week for Easter, since it's such a big social holiday.''

Nationwide, it accounts for billions of dollars of business. According to statistics provided by the National Retail Federation, shoppers will spend $1.82 billion alone on candy this year, in chocolate and 15 billion jelly beans. With Passover's close proximity this year, sales are particularly challenging, as marketers have to combine the holidays of two separate faiths into single ads.

But while that may make writing ad copy difficult, it helps out shoppers like Jodi Ryngler of Calabasas. The full-time mom hit Whole Foods to stock up on matzo balls for her family's Seder in one aisle, then strolled two aisles over to find Easter gift baskets for a friend's party. This year, she's in charge of soup and gefilte fish - a hefty but pleasing undertaking.

``It takes forever, but it's great, especially for the kids,'' she said, wheeling her cart along. ``By the time we eat, it's always 10 p.m. It's a big job, but it's worth it. Once we're all together, then everything's great.''

Not all cooks are so dedicated, which is good news for business owners like Ron Peskin. As proprietor of the famed Brent's Deli in Northridge, he expects to spend the hours prior to Passover's commencement today deluged with gallons of matzo ball soup, catering to the folks who want the traditional meal, sans the traditional hours in the kitchen.

``We get extremely busy catering all the Seders, and our matzo ball business goes up dramatically,'' Peskin said. ``We'll sell 2,500 matzo balls in a day, that's a dramatic change. We're closed Wednesday night, but it makes up for things.''

At the Ventura Kosher Meat Corp., where Joe and Zena Simon keep Tarzana shoppers stocked with horseradish, brisket, matzo and spices, there's a marked change in business.

``You're talking about eight days of people eating different foods than they normally do,'' Zena Simon said. ``They have to buy everything, because all the groceries are different.''

Though it's not an overly commercialized holiday, Zena Simon notices an increase in Passover business from customers who don't usually keep kosher.

``A lot of people who don't buy kosher all year long will want it for Passover,'' she said. ``They know the only good soup comes from a kosher chicken, and they feel a little guilty around the holidays.''

Even non-Jews like Melody Bernard get into the spirit. Though she's a Christian, she still celebrates Passover and is planning a large family meal complete with roast chicken and soup.

``If you read the Scripture, you see that Jesus celebrated Passover,'' she said. ``And if it's good enough for him, it's good enough for me. It's a good time to reflect and be with family.''

Though grape juice and Manischewitz wine are the traditional beverages, some retailers get a boost in unusual ways. John Nese, owner of Galco's Soda Pop Stop in Highland Park, has seen brisk sales of kosher Coca-Cola, made with sugar cane and shipped only once a year into Jewish markets.

``Coca-Cola doesn't make a big deal about it, but when Passover hits, they automatically send the products into kosher areas,'' Nese said. ``Most businesses don't care about that, but they really go out of their way. In Jewish areas, it's really a big deal.''

According to Aubie Goldenberg, a retail expert with Ernst & Young's Los Angeles office, the early arrival of the holidays helps stores in a generally slow time of year.

``This usually isn't the biggest retail season, but with spring break in March, that picks things up with travel and additional spending,'' he said. ``When kids are out of school, people tend to spend more money with them.''

Gift stores are bracing for shoppers, as well. Berj Semerjian, manager of Anna's Hallmark in Woodland Hills, has watched little pink rabbits take over his shelves.

``There's bunnies everywhere,'' he said, pointing to a swath of fuzzy toys. ``We just hope people will spend. ... Business is tough right now, so it's not where we want to be, but people are buying the traditional cards, which helps.''

CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) After buying ingredients at Whole Foods in Woodland Hills for her own family's Passover Seder, Jodi Ryngler of Calabasas goes two aisles over to shop for an Easter basket for friends.

(2 -- 3 -- color) Easter baskets, above, are among the holiday items available at Whole Foods. Elizabeth Carovillano, left, marketing director of the Ventura Boulevard store, also stocks Passover supplies such as matzo.

(4) With Passover and Easter occurring so close together this year, many businesses are catering to both types of customer at the same time. Whole Foods on Ventura Boulevard stocks many items especially for Passover, such as kosher wine.

Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer