Log In


Reset Password
News Education Local News Nation & World New Mexico

Black Friday shoppers fill downtown Durango

Black Friday a precursor to events like Small Business Saturday, Noel Night
Durango sidewalks were filled with shoppers Friday, including Eva Carpenter, 4, petting Isabel, who belongs to Miguel Pacheco. Eva’s mom, Lisa Carpenter, holds Ivy, 11 months old. Eva and Ivy’s father is Jimmy Carpenter. The family from Oklahoma avoided big-box stores Friday in favor of shopping downtown.

After a quiet November, eager shoppers filled the sidewalks along Main Avenue on Black Friday to enjoy the sparkling holiday window displays and find some deals.

Some were shopaholics, like Misty Newholm and Dann McChesney, who started their weekend shopping at 3 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. After hitting the big-box stores, they were enjoying the small shops on Main Avenue on Friday and still looking forward to Cyber Monday.

“I want to check it out,” Newholm said of Cyber Monday. “I like the idea of things being sent to my home.”

They are among the 183.8 million people who plan to shop on Cyber Monday, according to the National Retail Federation.

Despite the draw of online deals, Cheril and Frank Comisar at Scenic Aperture noticed an uptick in customers walking through the doors this week compared with the rest of November.

“It’s been a busier day than any other day this week,” Frank Comisar said.

The gallery was one of those businesses on Main Avenue honoring Black Friday, but other shopkeepers were waiting for Small Business Saturday and Noel Night to launch their promotions.

At Animas Trading Co. and Southwest Sound, signs announced, “Come #shopsmall” ahead of Small Business Saturday.

The event was launched six years ago nationally, and Cathy Wakeman, the owner of Animas Trading, believes more education about the importance of shopping locally is needed.

“It helps keep the money in the community,” she said. It’s a guiding principle she personally abides by, having never shopped at Walmart.

Nationally, Small Business Saturday is a movement that has made a difference. In 2014, 88 million people celebrated the retail holiday, a boost of 14.9 percent from the previous year, Forbes reported.

Despite the national hype around Small Business Saturday, Noel Night was the talk of the retailers who were energetically promoting raffles and events.

“People wipe out the store,” said Desiree Carter, a manager at Spaaah Shop & Day Spa.

The boost from Noel Night and the holidays will likely be welcome for Duranglers, which saw a drop-off in business after the Gold King Mine spill, said employee Rob Schmidt.

Business is starting to recover and Black Friday was busy, but he was looking forward to the bustle next Friday will bring.

“Noel Night is usually the best,” he said.

mshinn@durangoherald.com



Reader Comments