Between finding new ice cream shops to splashing in pools, summer was a blast! As much as we’d all love to deny it, summer is coming to an end. This means getting ready to go back to school in the Rio Grande Valley.
The best way to prepare is with tax-free weekend, which starts THIS WEEKEND on Friday, Aug. 9th, and goes through midnight Sunday, Aug. 11th.
What Counts?
Clothing, school supplies, computers and specialty items are exempt from sales taxes during this period and can only be used for personal use. Let’s go into more detail!
Clothing – Including but not limited to school uniforms and footwear. The tax-free incentive does not apply to watches, watchbands, jewelry, handbags, handkerchiefs, umbrellas, scarves, ties, headbands or belt buckles.
School Supplies – Items used by students in a standard classroom for educational purposes such as textbooks, notebooks, paper, writing instruments, crayons, art supplies, rulers, bookbags, backpacks, handheld and graphing calculators, chalk, maps and globes. Items that don’t apply include watches, radios, headphones, sporting equipment, portable or desktop telephones, copiers or other office equipment.
Personal Computers – These include laptops, desktop or tower computer systems, random access memory (RAM), storage drives, display monitors, keyboards and devices designed for use with personal computers. This includes disk drives, memory modules, daughterboards, digitizers, microphones, modems, motherboards, mouses, multimedia speakers, printers, scanners, single-user hardware, single-user operating systems, soundcards and video cards.
The Best Places to Shop in McAllen
Now that you know what will be tax-free, go shopping at any of these locations in McAllen to find the best deals!
La Plaza Mall | 2200 S. 10th St.
As the premier shopping destination of the Rio Grande Valley, La Plaza Mall features over 1.2 million sq. ft. of retail space and is home to over 150 specialty retailers like Dillard’s, JCPenney, Macy’s, GAP, Banana Republic, Express, Torrid, The Children’s Place and more!
Trenton Crossing | 7600 N. 10th St.
Located in North McAllen, Trenton Crossing has several large national retail stores like Target, Kohl’s, Ross, Marshall’s and Old Navy. The center also features a Best Buy for tech merchandise.
Las Tiendas | 816 E. Expressway 83
Five minutes away from La Plaza Mall is Las Tiendas. Here you’ll find a Target, Shoe Carnival, Payless Shoes and A’GACI. Nearby are a Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Sam’s Club.
Palms Crossing | 3300 W. Frontage Rd.
Looking to shop but want to avoid the crowds? Then Palms Crossing is for you! With stores like Best Buy, Torrid, Avenue, Designer Shoe Warehouse and Babies R’ Us, you can find what you’re looking for.
Get Ready to Shop!
McAllen not only has everything you’ll need to get back to school prepared, but the city also has some of the best restaurants to help you recharge and relax during a busy day! For more information on where to eat, click here.
