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Tax-free weekend is here
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Nikki Childers photo Red Door Boutique Kids owner Jessica Bazemore, left, and assistant manager Emmylea McCoy hold some of the back-to-school fashions for children in stock at the store on Main Street. The store is one of many preparing for tax-free weekend.

With the return to school just around the corner, a weekend of savings for consumers has begun.

Beginning at 12:01 a.m. this morning and concluding at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, almost everything students need will not have sales tax added as part of Tennessee’s yearly tax-free holiday. Eligible items can be purchased in-store and online.

Included in the tax-exempt items are:

• Clothing: shirts, pants, socks, shoes, undergarments and dresses

• School supplies: binders, backpacks, crayons, paper, pens, pencils and rulers

• Art supplies: glazes, clay, paints, drawing pads and artist paintbrushes

• Computer: personal use computers, laptops and tablet computers costing less than $1,500

As a caveat, no article of clothing, school supply item or art supplies costing more than $100 are included in the tax-exempt status and no item intended to be sold as a pair, such as shoes, may be separated to circumvent the cut-off.

Excluded from the above groups are:

• Jewelry, handbags, sports gear and recreational equipment

• Storage media such as flash drives and compact drives

• Individually purchased software

• Printer supplies

• Household appliances

The sales tax relief is not limited to big box stores and chain retailers, however, and locally owned businesses are welcoming Warren countians to shop with them this weekend to keep money spent local.

Like many small business owners across the state, Red Door Boutique and Red Door Boutique Kids owner Jessica Bazemore has organized a long list of deals just for the weekend to help give parents a boost.

“For myself and other small business owners I’ve spoken to, this has been our slowest summer yet,” said Bazemore, who attributed the slow sales to the oppressive heat wave which has hounded the area in recent weeks. “The sales we’re having this weekend are designed to help us move out product to make room for new inventory and help families at the same time. It’s mutually beneficial for everyone.”

Assistant Manager Emmylea McCoy added, “I am heading into early education and I see first-hand how much tax-free weekend helps parents afford all the school supplies and clothes their children need to succeed.”

Registration for Warren County Schools is set for Aug. 2 and the first day of school begins on Aug. 6.