NWI retailers adjust Black Friday plans
Stores lengthen season to lure customers for holiday shopping
The holiday season is starting earlier, and looking a little different, this year as retailers hope for a successful end to an otherwise dismal year while keeping safety in mind during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We absolutely want an early start. We’re trying to spread things out with our customers, advertising early and spreading out sales instead of having people rushing in on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday,” said Christopher Jaroscak, co-owner of the Indie Indie Bang! Bang! clothing and gift stores in the Miller Beach section of Gary and downtown Valparaiso.
“I’m hoping for the best. It’s been a tough year,” Jaroscak said.
Instead of waiting until Black Friday or Cyber Monday to unveil their biggest sales of the year, big box stores like Walmart and Target have announced multiple savings events throughout the month of November.
Deals at Walmart include a 50-inch Smart TV for $128, 14inch Chromebook for $159 and for the kids, Hoverboards starting at $79.
At Southlake Mall in Hobart, general manager Peter Karonis said promotions began on Nov. 2 and various promotions and events will continue until Dec. 24.
“We are spreading joy, encouraging early, and often, holiday shopping this season to Make It Merry ASAP,” Karonis said.
A season of hope, caution
The National Retail Federation is predicting a small downturn in consumer spending this holiday season, with individuals spending
just under $1,000 on average on gifts, decorations, food and other items compared to $1,047 last year.
Sixty percent of survey respondents said they’d do some of their shopping online compared to 56% last year, while 45% would do some shopping in department stores, 43% in discount stores, 23% in local/ small businesses and 21% in electronics stores.
Small-business shopping remained the same while the other three categories slightly declined.
Southlake Mall is decked out in the seasonal spirit and with safety measure in place, ready to capture some of those shoppers at their various department and specialty stores such as Macy’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods and seasonal kiosks like Calendar Club, Hot Topic and NuKixx.
“We are confident in our staff, employees, retailers and partners to provide a safe and healthy way to shop this season and looking forward to welcoming guests and fulfilling their holiday shopping needs,” Karonis said.
While the traditional decorations and annual Giving Tree have returned, Karonis said there will be no gift-wrapping offered and parents wanting their children to get their picture taken with Santa are encouraged to register at cherryhillprograms.com/ reopening first to have a set time.
Walk-ups will only be accommodated if space allows. Kids can have a virtual visit as well.
Shoppers can also coordinate with a retailer to receive curbside pickup of their purchases, Karonis said.
While Indie Indie Bang! Bang! is again participating in the Shop Small Saturday promotion on Nov. 28, Jaroscak said he’s hoping to have business spread out over more days.
He said the stores are offering small private events outside of store hours, where groups of eight or less can have the store to themselves to browse and purchase merchandise at a discount, and have snacks and drinks if desired.
“It’s like a girls’ night out,” said Jaroscak, adding the events are usually one to 1 1⁄ hours long and details
2 need to be arranged in advance with the store.
He said the stores offer curbside pickup and will deliver items purchased online t o a c u st o me r ’s doorstep for free within a certain distance from the stores.
“A lot of our customers are really afraid. Some haven’t left their houses since March,” Jaroscak said.
“We don’t mind doing this.”
Community, chamber help
Several chambers of commerce in the Region are again taking the lead on Shop Small Saturday, the American Express-initiated program to support mom and pop stores, including Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce serving Merrillville and Crown
Point businesses.
“We have reached out to all the shops and restaurants on the square and beyond. So far, many are interested in participating, but things are changing daily,” said Deann Patena, president and CEO of the chamber.
Nikki Lopez, Special Events director for the city of Hobart, said the Hobart Chamber of Commerce is also again running the Shop Small promotion, but the city will be making some changes in its level of participation this year, due to safety concerns.
She said there will be no welcome center as in the past, where shoppers can get a passport for savings. The passports will instead be spread out at stores throughout the city.
“We’ll do the tree lighting on the same night at the plaza at 3rd and Main, but we won’t do it live,” Lopez said, noting the small size of the plaza and the number of people the event usually draws.
She said the ceremony, to take place at 5 p.m. Nov. 28, will instead be streamed online on the Hobart events Facebook page.
There will be no holiday market either, but there will be small events, such as a scavenger hunt residents can do on their own and a cooking class for kids, which will have limited attendance.
“We’re trying to be as safe as we can,” Lopez said.
“We hope to bring it all back next year,” she said.