SALES LIVELY, BUT NOT SPECTACULAR.

Byline: Daily News Staff and Wire Services

Retail sales perked up during the final weekend before Christmas, though merchants did not experience the shopper stampede they'd been awaiting.

Store operators, though, remained optimistic.

``It's been very good. We're just absolutely thrilled with what's been happening in California. We're way over plan,'' said Michael Gould, chairman of Bloomingdale's, which this fall opened its first four stores in the state, including one in Sherman Oaks.

He declined to reveal specific sales targets - retailers typically don't - but said holiday sales should end up ``double over plan.''

Rachel Mandel, marketing director at Sherman Oaks Fashion Square, said that shoppers filled the mall during the weekend.

``The mall was very busy and stores are reporting significant increase over the last year so we are very pleased,'' she said.

A spokeswoman at Macy's West, which operates 32 stores in Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties, offered a similarly upbeat assessment after the weekend.

``We're not going to predict the outcome until we can look at the whole season but holiday sales have been strong,'' said Merle Goldstone. ``We're certainly achieving our sales plan.''

With Christmas falling at midweek, last-minute shoppers could keep shops and malls filled through today.

A survey of 800 shoppers by the American Express Retail Index found that 31 percent of them planned a late finish to their Christmas shopping with 48 percent of them saying they have done some of it on Christmas Eve.

``The promise of last-minute shoppers will help ensure that the holiday season ends on a positive note for the industry,'' said Lewis Taffer, senior vice president at the company.

A different survey of 800 homes by America's Research Group found 12 percent of the respondents said they still had all their shopping left to do as of late Sunday and 7 percent said they may have some gifts to buy.

Eighty-one percent said their Christmas shopping was done.

The strong-but-not-spectacular last shopping weekend put many retailers on track to meet forecasts for seasonal sales gains of 4 percent to 5 percent. Still, strong sales through Christmas Eve are crucial for some chains to reach those expectations.

``This is turning out to be just an OK Christmas,'' said Terence McEvoy, a retail analyst at Janney Montgomery Scott Inc. ``While the weekend was strong, sales for the season will probably be on the lower end of expectations.''

After a dismal Christmas a year ago, retailers were optimistic that shoppers would spend enthusiastically this year thanks to a healthy economy, low inflation and high levels of consumer confidence.

Also buoying retailers' hope was increased consumer spending, which the Commerce Department said Monday rose 0.5 percent in November, beating analysts' estimates.

But five fewer shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, coupled with high levels of consumer debt and foul weather in some parts of country may result in just a ho-hum holiday season.

``A lot of retailers expected an extraordinary burst of sales because there are five fewer shopping days, but it didn't happen,'' said Kurt Barnard, president of Barnard's Retail Marketing Report. ``Some of the stores were mobbed, some of the stores were deserted.''

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Photo: (color) Retailers, like Bloomingdale's in Sherman Oaks, remain hopeful that holiday sales will finish on a high note.

Associated Press