Alabama’s tax holiday started at 12:01 a.m. today, and local retailers are ready for shoppers to take advantage of tax-free supplies, such as clothes and school supplies.

Symantha Griffin, owner of the Freckled Frog in Troy, said she anticipates an increase in sales over the tax holiday weekend.

“Around this time year, most everybody is on vacation,” Griffin said. “But, I think we can expect maybe a 10 percent increase in sales.”

The tax holiday applies to clothing priced at $100 or less, school supplies valued at $50 or less, books that cost $30 or less, computers and computer equipment with a selling price of $750 or less.

Griffin said her store is usually busy on the weekends, but with the tax holiday from Friday through Sunday, she expects to see a slight increase in sales and will be having an additional sale to complement the tax holiday.

“Anything that is related to school, like shoes and denim apparel will be 20 percent off throughout the tax holiday weekend,” Griffin said.

Griffin said she looks forward to catering to the needs of customer’s by offering anywhere from 10 to 20 percent off on store merchandise in addition to the perks of having Uncle Sam pick up the tab on tax.

Griffin said customers can come in and take advantage of the deals when the doors open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“We’ll have items at 10 percent off and some other sales to go along with it,” Griffin said. “We’re sending out e-mails telling everybody it’s tax-free weekend just to remind them. We have stuff that is school appropriate.”

Other local stores, such as the Dollar General, are getting ready for the tax holiday.

Allen Gilmore, store manager for the Dollar General in Troy, said they are offering a full selection of back-to-school supplies.

“All of our school supplies will be tax free, of course,” Gilmore said. “We are hoping to see an increase in sales and hope people will take advantage of them. We are also running a school supply donation drive for Troy Elementary School and are hoping some people will chip in for that.”

Gilmore said the drive is an effort to help students who may not be able to afford supplies of their own.

“We’re hoping that some of our customers will buy extra school supplies for donations, such as pens, paper and other supplies,” Gilmore said. “We have a donation box set up front for customers to drop donations off in.”

Gilmore said the doors will open “bright and early” from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and encourages potential customers to stop by and take advantage of on-going sales and donate much-needed school supplies if possible.

According to the Alabama Retail Association, shoppers from other states can benefit by crossing over into Alabama and take advantage of the tax holiday.

Rick Brown, president of Alabama Retail Association, in a press release, said shoppers from Mississippi and Florida could actually buy more tax-free items than in those states.

“Florida, Mississippi and Georgia shoppers could all save by taking a day trip to participate in Alabama’s sales tax holiday,” Brown said.

The state of Mississippi hosted their tax holiday weekend last weekend and Florida will have theirs next weekend, while Tennessee will have their tax holiday at the same time as Alabama.

For more information about how you can take advantage of Alabama’s tax holiday weekend, please visit the Alabama Retail Association website at www.alabamaretail.org.