MONROE — “I have been waiting for this moment, for this day to come, here and now the mall is open, and I can’t wait to shop.”

Latonya Lee of Cincinnati echoed the sentiments of many shoppers at the opening of Cincinnati Premium Outlets in Monroe. As shoppers poured into the mall throughout the day and parking became nonexistent, officials said the first day signifies that in this difficult economy, good bargains are good business.

“In this environment, everyone loves a bargain,” said John Klein, president of the Chelsea Property Group, developer of the mall. “I think in the Cincinnati market, we are going to knock them dead.”

A good opening is key to signaling whether the new retail center will be a good fit for the area. If the mall can maintain that success over the next several months, it could signify a turn for the better for retailers in a national economy that has had few bright spots, said Thomas Hall, economics professor at Miami University.

At the Saks 5th Avenue OFF 5TH store, lines were estimated at one hour as shoppers grabbed up such brands as Dior and Prada at discounts of 30 percent to 60 percent off. Robert Wallstrom, president of OFF 5TH, said he was impressed with the turnout and said he expects the store to maintain top sales since it can “deliver to the customer Saks-style at a great price.”

Jacob McDermott, center manager for the Banana Republic and The Gap stores, said they had a great crowd and expect things to pick up significantly for the weekend. He expects about 3,000 customers or more on Saturday alone.

While Klein would not release estimates on the sales or foot traffic the center expects for grand opening weekend, he said the turnout may be an improvement over past Chelsea Property mall openings. The centralized location between Dayton and Cincinnati, between the high-growth areas of Butler and Warren counties, should allow it to pull customers within a 60-mile radius.

Bert Ceard, a teacher with Trotwood Madison City Schools, said he was content to stand in the winding line at Nike to purchase his new Air Jordans for $69.99.

“These are regularly $150, so with a family and a wife and kids, I would never be able to afford them otherwise,” the Dayton resident said. “So I am happily waiting in line to save a dollar.”

With a unique set of stores, the mall should draw shoppers from Dayton and Cincinnati, MU’s Hall said. But that draw could have a negative effect on other retail centers in Hamilton, Butler and Montgomery counties, in a time when shopping dollars are few and far between, he added.

“What is going to happen is it’s going to grab sales from other places, some from Butler and some from Hamilton and even Warren county,” he said. “Part of Tri-County (Mall’s) problem is it has stores you can find anywhere else. There is something to be said about a place that has a different set of stores.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2843 or jheffner@coxohio.com.