EDITOR’S NOTE: Forks Outfitters has a 15-percent sale price on some items on Friday. No items are 50 percent off, as was erroneously reported by the Peninsula Daily News. This story has been corrected.
Driven by Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, many retailers on the North Olympic Peninsula are offering special deals and extended hours the weekend after Thanksgiving.
Black Friday has faded to a shade of gray, according to news reports; the Wall Street Journal reported in 2014 that retail spending over the weekend after Thanksgiving dropped for two years in a row.
Big-box stores that offer sales on Thanksgiving, such as Walmart and J.C. Penney Co., have diluted the impact of what once was the opening of holiday shopping on the Friday after Thanksgiving known as Black Friday, according to National Public Radio.
But Small Business Saturday could brighten smaller retail store prospects across the North Olympic Peninsula, and many area merchants are exhorting customers to shop locally, if a day later.
They also hope to lure customers offline and into their shops before Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving, which has been promoted by online retailers as a day for exceptional bargains.
Retailers in Port Townsend, Port Angeles and Sequim are offering extended hours and bargains, with many starting today.
Hadlock Building Supply in Port Hadlock began its Black Friday sale Wednesday and will continue it until Tuesday.
Doors open at 7 a.m. today and the store will conduct a prize walk — described as something like a cake walk — during the day. Prize spots will be on the floor and when announced, shoppers pick a spot and numbers are picked for winners of 21 prizes.
Today will be the beginning of Port Townsend Main Street’s “Look Here First” campaign, followed by a merchant holiday open house on Saturday that will feature caroling in the streets with Wild Rose Chorale both Uptown and Downtown from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., in-store treats and many shops open until 7 p.m.
In Sequim, the Game Stop, 1400 W. Washington St., Suite 107 and Big 5 Sporting Goods, 171 Alley Road opened at 5 a.m. today, with The Home Depot, 1145 W. Washington St., opening at 6 a.m. and Goodwill, 680 W. Washington St., at 7 a.m.
On Saturday, Sequim will celebrate Hometown Holidays, with a community tree lighting and specials in local stores.
Among those participating in Hometown Holidays will be the Museum & Arts Center at 175 W. Cedar St., which will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday for the North Olympic Fiber Arts Festival Show and Sale.
The sale will be on the last day of the Fostered Fiber exhibition and will feature items from wearable art to housewares.
To pick up interest in Saturday’s specials, the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce will host the Elk on the Shelf card game at participating businesses beginning that day.
Those who find 15 elks in businesses and get stamps on playing cards, can return the cards to Dungeness Kids Co., 163 W. Washington st., by 5 p.m. Dec. 19 to be entered into a prize drawing.
Winners of prizes in three age categories: 5 and under, 6 to 8 years and 9 to 12 will be announced on Dec. 22.
In Port Angeles, many downtown stores will offer extended hours and deals during Hometown Holiday, when the community Christmas tree will be lit in preparation for Santa’s visit at 5 p.m.
Sale prices will be the most popular lure from Forks to Port Hadlock.
Perhaps the most unusual will be a 15-percent discount on any camouflage items all day today (Friday) at Forks Outfitters, 950 S. Forks Ave., according to assistant manager Justice Barnes.
The store also is offering 15 percent off in the entire clothing department, the entire shoe department, the entire sporting goods department — excluding gun safes and ammunition — and the entire floral department, Barnes said.
4-day specials
The half-off deal also will be available on all used books at Port Book & News, 104 E. First St., Port Angeles, with 20 percent off almost everything else in the store, including gift cards but excluding periodicals, according to Nichole Jones.
The specials will last from today through Monday “because of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday,” she said.
Swain’s General Store, 602 E. First St., in Port Angeles will open early — at 6 a.m. — today and won’t close until 9 p.m.
“The biggest thing we have is $15 off any purchase of $75 and 20 percent off all gift cards, said manager Don Droz.
Country Aire Natural Foods, 200 W. First St., Port Angeles, was open on Thanksgiving but “won’t be doing anything huge” today, save for a 10 percent-off coupon on any purchase, said manager Josh Rancourt.
“We really don’t like Black Friday,” he said.
Millenials’ billions
Rancourt appeared to reflect the opinion of Small Business Saturday enthusiasts among shoppers born in the 1980s and ’90s.
Known as Millenials, they pack $1.7 billion in buying power, according to Forbes magazine.
Millenials prefer social media over traditional advertising, according to www.forbes.com. They like to support local brick-and-mortar businesses and value personal relationships with retailers.
American Express launched the Small Business Saturday promotion in 2010, urging buyers to “shop local” or “shop small.”
That dovetails neatly with Port Angeles’ “Choose Local” campaign with its motto, “What goes around . . .”
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Reporter James Casey can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or at jcasey@peninsuladailynews.com.
