CHAPEL HILL – This weekend will be the last NC sales tax holiday with the Energy Star qualified products tax exemption.

The Energy Star tax holiday began right after midnight on Friday and will continue until 11:59 p.m. Sunday night.  The holiday applies to Energy Star labeled washers, refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, and more.

Matt Schumann is the co-owner of Kitchen and Bath Galleries in Chapel Hill. He says the tax-free weekend brings a lot of business to their store.

“We do about two months of business in two days,” he says. “It’s a good shot in the arm–stimulates our business.”

(Kitchen and Bath in Chapel Hill will not be open on Sunday, so Schumann’s encouraging people to come out before 4:00 p.m. Saturday.)

Elsewhere in Chapel Hill, Lowe’s assistant manager Howie Milligan says the weekend brings in more people, but the main impact of the tax exemption is to spread awareness and knowledge on energy conservation.

The Energy Star tax holiday is in its sixth and final year.  Schumann says although this will be the last year of the Energy Star tax holiday they expect to continue sales in future years.

“Certainly I think we’ll lose a little of that business, but…in the long run I think it will all even out, and I think sales will continue on the same pace,” he says.

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