SHOPPING SEASON
Black Friday deals bring in customers
WILTON, N.Y. » Jeff Dowd made a beeline for the best possible Black Friday shopping advice.
While most people were hustling and bustling for bargains, Dowd brought his children to Wilton Mall to meet Santa Claus.
That way he knows exactly what his children want for Christmas.
“My daughter, Sidney, is a big American Doll fan,” said Dowd, a Ballston Spa resident. “My son, Jeff Jr., is hoping for a Nintendo 2DS. I just want everybody to get along and enjoy the holidays this year.”
And what does Santa want? “Anything that will make Mrs. Claus happy,” he said, smiling.
Throughout the region, hordes of people turned out Friday for what used to be the traditional first day of the annual Christmas shopping season. Now, most malls give people a head start on Thanksgiving night.
“We were up 11 percent over last year on Thursday,” said Russ Ivory, Colonie Center general manager. “Several stores with doorbuster sales had long lines. It does take some of
the traffic away from Black Friday morning. That’s why we don’t open till 8 a.m. But by 10 o’clock the parking lot was packed. They’re both really good days.”
A special Colonie Center promotion brought out many shoppers Friday, as the first 300 people in line received gift bags with gift cards valued from $5 to $500, plus retailer coupons.
Even with the growth of online shopping, many people still like to get in the Christmas spirit by going to malls and stores.
“There’s a lot of energy,” Ivory said. “I think most people are real upbeat. They want to be part of that experience.”
However, the market research firm, Adobe Digital Insights, predicts that online Christmas sales will top $100 billion for the first time ever this year. This coming week’s Cyber Monday alone, when many specials are offered, is expected to generate $6.6 billion worth of Internet sales.
Jason Dains, of Sandgate Vt., was on a mission Friday. He got up early to take advantage of a sale on generators at a Wilton store.
“I had one thing in mind,” he said. “It’s in the back of my truck. This is my only destination.”
Steve Brzozowski, of Mechanicville, left Best Buy on Route 50 with a new 50inch television.
“I haven’t gone shopping on Black Friday in 15 years,” he said. “I thought I’d give it a shot. We wanted a bigger TV with new technology. Now that I’m retired, I’ve got more time to watch it.”
For local resident Michele Brobston and Claire Walton of Torrington, Ct., Black Friday is more about renewing friendships than getting a good buy. They went to high school together and make a point of meeting each year the day after Thanksgiving.
“It’s become our tradition the last 10 years,” Walton said. “I get as much as I can today, and do last-minute shopping online.”
“We really come out just to hang out,” Brobston said.
In Glens Falls, Adirondack Thunder fans got up early to get things for hockey-lovers on their holiday shopping lists. From 6 a.m.-7 p.m., the team offered a 25 percent discount on all retail shop items inside the lobby at Cool Insuring Arena. Discounts, of varying degrees, continued throughout the morning.
“I got up at 5:30 to get there,” said Stephanie DeLong of Corinth. “This is my first stop of the day. I’ll probably go to Walmart and the Lake George outlets, also.”
Mike DiFiore, of Glens Falls, was “one and done” after visiting the Thunder team store.
“This is all I plan to do,” he said. “I saw they were having this sale so I thought I’d come over. I slept till 9 (a.m.) yesterday, so I didn’t mind getting up early today.”
Heather Pauquette, of Granville, enlisted help from her daughter, Payton Gebo, to buy a new kayak at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Wilton Mall.
“It’s a gift for my husband,” Pauquette said. “Payton’s going to hide it for me at my mother-in-law’s while I go shopping.”
On Broadway in Saratoga Springs, Mary Conklin and her daughter, Ava, both of Clifton Park, decided to shop downtown instead of visiting area malls.
“This is more unique,” Ava said. “I found a 30 percent discount at the Yellow Boutique.”
Many Spa City stores take part in Small Business Saturday, a nationwide event sponsored by American Express to promote shopping at independently-owned retail shops instead of big box stores or online. American Express card holders get a discount with their first purchase, and many participating stores offer reduced prices as well.
“We have a great day on Black Friday, but we tend to see much better traffic on Small Business Saturday,” said Paul O’Donnell, owner of Celtic Treasures, an Irish import store on Broadway.