Basra clothes stores prepare for winter despite unseasonal weather

BASRA, November 6 — Despite unseasonably hot weather near the coastal region of Basra, clothing store owners in Al-Ashar’s markets are repeating the famous line “winter is coming” from the TV series Game of Thrones. Shops have started displaying newly arrived winter clothing from Turkey, China, and Syria, alongside summer attire, even though temperatures are still relatively high as November begins.

Mujtaba Haitham, the owner of one such clothing store, shared with 964, “We have started showcasing winter clothing as the cold season approaches, with shop owners echoing the phrase ‘winter is coming’ from the Game of Thrones series, implying that winter is on the way, and winter merchandise must be prepared.”

“We buy Chinese merchandise from the Shorja market in Baghdad, but we import Turkish goods directly from their factories, which makes the Chinese products cheaper, not because they are of lower quality but because the transportation costs are lower,” he explained.

Haitham added, “Demand for winter clothing is still low because the weather remains hot in most of Basra, so we are still offering some summer pieces.”

Shopper Mohammed Taqi said, “Although the weather is still hot, I came to buy winter clothing now because I prefer not to shop during the peak season when the market is crowded and prices are higher.”