Black Friday isn’t a big deal for Danielle Chick, co-owner of Urban Market in downtown Durango.

While the week has been busy for Chick and her business with all the tourists in town for the holiday, Black Friday is nowhere near the biggest day of the season for Urban Market. That day comes in a couple of weeks on Noel Night, a downtown holiday event with music, entertainment, fundraisers and local sales, she said.

“Black Friday is really for big business,” she said. “Since we’re small and local, Black Friday is not our thing.”

But that doesn’t mean people weren’t out shopping locally, working off those Thanksgiving calories walking from shop to shop on Main Avenue.

Hugh Scott from San Fransisco does most of his shopping online, but he recognizes the impact shopping locally can have on a community.

“It’s always a fun family experience to walk around on a holiday,” he said.

Ryan Willard, weekend manager at Gardenswartz Outdoors in downtown Durango, said cold-weather gear was flying off the shelves. Boots and Smartwool are big sellers, as well as down and synthetic insulated jackets.

Much like the Urban Market, Black Friday isn’t the busiest day of the year for Gardenswartz Outdoors, Willard said. For the outdoor business, that time is its extravaganza sale at the La Plata County Fairgrounds, which happened last weekend, he said. But that doesn’t mean Black Friday hasn’t been good to Gardenswartz. This is the start of a season that will get progressively busier until Christmas, he said.

“It’s been a really busy Black Friday for us,” he said.

Hasna Gadomski of northern France said she and her husband, Jeremy, are traveling the United States and wanted to come to Durango for its good reputation. Gadomski bought her first cowboy hat while here and was searching for matching boots.

The two planned to drive to Farmington to visit the big-box stores for some Black Friday shopping, but they said there’s something attractive about the quaint downtown of Durango.

“We can see people, meet people,” Gadomski said. “It’s a beautiful street; it’s like in the movies. We don’t have streets like this in France.”

bhauff@durangoherald.com

Poll: Where will you do the majority of your holiday shopping?

Local businesses - 270 - 27.25%

Online - 652 - 65.79%

Big-box retailers - 69 - 6.96%