Shops set to paint the city black

The yearly Black Friday shopping blitz has long been dominated by big chains and online sales, but this year smaller Palmerston North businesses are starting their own version.

The Manawatu¯ Chamber of Commerce and Palmerston North businessman and community organiser Shaun Kay have put together the Shades of Black promotion to draw shoppers off Amazon and on to the streets tomorrow.

Participating cental Palmerston North businesses will put on a day of prizes, deals and will even throw a parade for customers choosing to shop at locally owned stores.

‘‘All the big box stores do Black Friday, even the car yards do it.

‘‘I thought let’s give it a go as a shop local campaign,’’ Kay said.

He has been involved in running several festivals and events on George St over the past few years.

They have added to the street’s renewed boutique vibe and boosted business, and he hopes to use it as a model for the wider city.

So far, almost 30 central Palmerston North businesses have signed on and Kay was still whipping around to encourage a few more to get involved.

‘‘I’m looking to get some shops from Downtown on Broadway involved.

‘‘Hopefully one day in the future we’ll be able to get The Plaza on board as well.’’

Participating businesses will have Shades of Black posters displayed in their windows. Customers who spend more than $20 dollars can snap a selfie with their purchase and upload it to the Shades of Black Facebook page to enter the draw for ‘‘his and hers’’ hair styling at Spectra hair salon and dinner at Little Savanna.

And the day will be punctuated with a parade between the George St salon and the restaurant at the corner of Princess St and Broadway Ave.

Shades of Black, which organisers hoped to turn into an annual event, was a fun way for the city’s smaller retailers and locally owned businesses to get in on the Black Friday craze and promote their business, Chamber of Commerce chief executive Amanda Linsley said.