Some people around the area are foregoing the trip to the National Mall for a trip to the shopping mall.

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Retailers are taking advantage of the holiday to offer deals.

“They usually have a lot of sales during the fourth of july so we like to take advantage of that,” said Daniel Espejel.

Shoppers filled the Westfield Montgomery mall in Bethesda. Some like Anna Alvarez who just couldn't leave her patriotism at home, are taking part in a yearly ritual.

“Every 4th of July I come to buy clothes, shoes, clothes for the beach,” she said.

Other shoppers wanted to escape beach-like temperatures. The heat and humidity that drove Kevin Green and his kids to the Mall for a chance to cool off while mom hit the sales racks.

“We had about an hour and a half or so at the playground and that was about where we maxed out and decided we wanted to get indoors,” Green said.

Numbers show retail sales are up seven percent from this time last year.