Local businesses hope to entice shoppers on Black Friday

By Isabel Montesanto,
Bluedevilhub.com Staff–

Black Friday has been an American tradition since the late 1980s. Chain stores in Davis, like Target, boast about savings shoppers can find only on the famous Friday. However, local businesses don’t always do things the same way.

Generations Family Footwear will offer a 15 percent discount on all merchandise starting today and continuing through the weekend. However, manager Steve Downs notes that the holiday shopping season has impacted the store less and less every year.

“We used to sell thousands of slippers right before Christmas; now we only sell a few hundred,” Downs said. He thinks that the economic upturn has led people to begin buying toys and luxury items as holiday gifts, instead of necessities.

He also noted that “we carry the healthy slippers […] everybody buys Uggs now.”

Fleet Feet is also promising discounts throughout the weekend as part of its annual Fitnatic Celebration. There will be deals on items from many brands, such as a buy-three-get-one-free offer on running socks.

Coffee and cookies will be given out as well. “We typically host a run for this event, but not this year,” assistant manager Chris Hartsfield said.

Record Store Day, a celebration of independent record stores that takes place in April, also organizes a Black Friday shebang. As part of this event, Armadillo Music will open early on Friday to sell special vinyl and CD releases.

“Once they’re gone, you can’t get them again,” manager Paul Wilbur said. “Sometimes the store gets fewer copies of albums than were ordered, or none at all.”

Wilbur can’t accommodate the anxious music-lovers who call in early to get a list of releases or who try to have albums held for them.

“The purpose is to get people off their couches and actually into the store to look through the records,” he explained.

In previous years, the line has been out the door.

The Avid Reader participates annually in Small Business Saturday, which is organized by American Express. The goal of the event is to encourage consumers to “shop small” by frequenting independent, local businesses.

The bookstore celebrates by hosting readings and other community events.

“Usually, because it’s the holidays, we have some kind of treat. This year it’s ginger cookies,” said operations manager Jina Fahrni.

The guest at this year’s event is author Jason Denzel. Starting at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Denzel will be reading from and signing copies of his newly published fantasy novel, entitled “Mystic.”

Patrons who spend over $100 on that day will receive a free Book Lover’s calendar.

Armadillo Music usually does something for Small Business Saturday as well, but Wilbur hasn’t planned anything yet.

“I’ll probably make something up on Friday at work,” he said.