Holiday spending projections high, lower than pandemic levels; new wing, pizza spots open

COLUMBIA — Retail sales this holiday season are expected to return to lower, pre-pandemic levels, but remain strong despite inflation, high interest rates and lingering concerns about a potential recession. The National Retail Federation forecast that holiday spending from Nov. 1 to the end of 2023 will grow between 3 percent and 4 percent compared to 2022. That’s lower than the growth rate over the last three years, when trillions of federal stimulus dollars and a quick labor market recovery led to high retail spending, but on par with the 3.6 percent growth rate from 2010 to 2019, according to the NRF. Online sales, which have received a big boost since the pandemic, are forecasted to grow between 7 and…