Mount Pleasant businesses are ready for Black Friday
By LYNDA STRINGER - Tribune City Editor
Friday, November 28, 2008 11:16 AM CST
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| B'Jeweled by Kellye will be open for business on Black Friday. A car crashed through the store's plate glass window Friday night. Owner Kellye Cooper had to replace the glass with plywood for now, but she wrapped it in Christmas gift wrap and decorated the front. "I wanted to do something creative and make it where people would want to come back in," she said. TRIBUNE photo by Lou Antonelli |
With the turkey leftovers tucked away in Tupperware, dawn on Friday will signal the start of hunting season. However, these hunters won't be armed with shotguns and shells and aiming for antlers. These are seasoned shoppers armed with cash and credit and zeroing in on sales. It's called Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving touted as the biggest shopping day of the year. For many, the day puts their sales figures back in the black.
Mount Pleasant retailers are ready for the onslaught.
"The day after Thanksgiving is very important. We will probably do a normal summer week's worth of business in the first half of the day," said Stan Crandall, owner of the local Radio Shack dealer store.
Carl Randermann, who owns the Sears dealer store, said 30 percent of his sales for the rest of the year would come from this one day.
"All of the merchants are going to be ready for Black Friday," said Pat Adams, executive director of the Mount Pleasant/Titus County Chamber of Commerce. "The businesses are going to be open early and stay late. They're ready to try to capture those first Christmas bargain shoppers."
Of course, without a mall, shopping for Christmas can be a tug-of-war for residents. We must decide between hitting the road for the malls and the big national retailers that Mount Pleasant lacks, and sticking around to hunt for gems that can be found right here at home.
Kelly Cooper, owner of B'Jeweled by Kellye and president of the Mount Pleasant Downtown Business Association, said the local businesses are depending on shoppers making the latter choice.
"The local retailers are the ones people come to when the need donations and we give. I hope people remember that and remember to give back. That's what helps this community. Taking your money out of town is not helping Mount Pleasant."
When gas prices skyrocketed to $4 a gallon, many people started shopping at home more and Cooper hopes people continue that trend.
"Gas prices are better now, but people are still going to save time and money shopping here," she said.
They'll also find many unique items in the local shops that they might not find elsewhere, even in Dallas.
"Downtown has such a variety of things that you can't find somewhere else, or at least you won't find it as well presented," she said.
She said many people from Dallas would agree.
"I would say that 50 percent of my Saturday customers and those downtown on the square are from Dallas who have lake homes here and they would tell you they would rather shop here than shop in Dallas," Cooper said. "They love the downtown atmosphere and would rather come here than go to the mall. I wish more people in Mount Pleasant would see what they see and shop here."
Not only downtown retailers are gearing up for a big day, though.
Of course, people will be up bright and early for the door buster deals at Wal-Mart, which is known for people sleeping in their cars to be the first in line. While Wal-Mart does not allow its local store managers to give media interviews, its Web site offered some insight into some of the bargains it will offer.
According to the Web site, www.walletpop.com, which rounded up a list of the biggest door buster deals for Black Friday, Wal-Mart will offer special deals from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m., including a $199 X-Box and $15 Blue-Ray discs.
Crandall said Radio Shack, which restructured earlier this year and has had sales increases every month, will open at 6 a.m. with sales across the board on everything.
"We are planning a full day with lots of customers. We're pulling out all the stops. I expect virtually a full store markdown," he said.
His big sellers, he said, will be GPS systems and digital cameras. The store will offer the Tom Tom GPS system, regularly sold for $179, for $99.
Beall's will have specials from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Store Manager Susie Dollins said their biggest door busters will be 75 percent off fine jewelry, including a one-half carat diamond pendant for $42.99 and diamond accent bracelets for $19.99.
"We're expecting them to run our legs off," Dollins said. "We just had a coupon end and they just demolished us. We never expected it."
Dollins said, while they usually don't have customers lining up outside before the doors open, it doesn't take long for the store to fill to capacity.
"They just know when you open and within 15 minutes we're swamped," she said.
Sears will open at 5 a.m. and have half price door busters until noon.
"We will have a front loading washer and dryer pair for $599.99," Randermann said. That is 50 percent off the regular price of the Kenmore set. Sears will also have a Samsung 40-inch TV for $799.99 and tools for 50 percent off.
"We have a crowd of people in here first thing in the morning," he said. People have lined up before he opens his doors in past years.
"I sure hope it's that way again this year," he said.
