LUMBERTON — Local retailers are ready for what they expect will be the Black Friday rush — and hoping that the year’s No. 1 shopping day will set the tone for a strong holiday season.
Hobby Lobby employees were working Wednesday to stock the Christmas section in preparation of Black Friday’s arrival. Trucks arrived early with merchandise for holiday season shoppers.
“We’re just trying to stay full, and we’re ready for the crowd,” said Jason Cannon, store manager.
The addition of 15 part-time workers for the Christmas holiday season was part of that preparation, he said.
Store employee Chelsey Lowery, who was stocking shelves Wednesday, looks forward to working on Black Friday.
“I’m excited,” she said. “I like it.”
Lowery has been working in retail for 14 years.
Employee Joshua Mitchell added more merchandise Wednesday to the home-decor aisle, the store’s largest section.
“It’s our first time being open for Black Friday,” he said. The store opened a few months ago in the space once occupied by Lowes Foods.
Mitchell and Lowery are looking forward to a little friendly competition.
“Because we’re a smaller store, we’re kind of competing against the larger ones,” Lowery said.
The store is scheduled to open an hour earlier Friday and Saturday, at 8 a.m. each day, and close an hour later, 9 p.m., Cannon said.
The National Retail Federation estimates that 165.3 million people are likely to shop Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday. Of that number, 69% are projected to shop on Black Friday.
However, a poll by USA Today suggests that many millennials will choose Cyber Monday over Black Friday, when buying is encouraged through online purchases.
“For many millennials, the holiday shopping rush will kick off Cyber Monday when 65% intend to start ticking off their lists, as compared to Black Friday, when 57% will start making their purchases,” according to USA Today.
The staff at locally owned Sisters Boutique & Shoes on Fayetteville Road in Lumberton also spent Wednesday getting ready for an expected rush of shoppers. Office Manager Frank Evans estimated the store will enjoy 20 times the normal traffic on Friday.
“Black Friday, they line up outside,” Evans said.
The store is full of sales that they are looking for, he said.
The boutique will feature 50% off discounts on clothing and jewelry, 35% off on footwear and 75% off on merchandise on selected racks, Evans said. Among discounted merchandise are top brands like UGG, Jack Rogers and Joseph Ribkoff.
WestPoint Home on Lackey Street also is offering big sales, cashier Judy Foley said.
“We’re going to have 40% off the entire store and 60% off of OSI (overstocked sales inventory),” Foley said. “It’s going to be throws, dish cloths, comforters, sheets.”
Booty Brothers Western Store on Capuano Street will feature deals on footwear brands like Justin Boots, Laredo and Ariat.
“We’ll have some (cowboy) hats $39.99 on sale for $19.99,” said Lory Rawlinson, store manager.
GameStop, located at 5080 Fayetteville Road, has a big sale on PlayStation 4 systems this year.
“The biggest thing that we’re doing is the PS4 system for $199,” said Samuel Davis, assistant store manager.
Biggs Park Mall was to open on Thursday at 4 p.m. and remain open until midnight. On Friday, the mall will operate from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., according to Chelsea Biggs, manager of the mall.
“We’ve got a lot of good sales going on,” she said. “We hope that we’ll have a big crowd of shoppers.”
Biggs said that the mall is “optimistic” that those who traditionally shop in Lumberton on Black Friday will return.
Stores like Belk and Tomlinson’s hired extra personnel to navigate the business of Black Friday, she said.
Belk took on 20 employees to work throughout the Christmas season, store Manager Lonnie McIver said.
The store was to begin its Black Friday sales on Thursday at 4 p.m. and was to open Friday at 6 a.m.
The first 100 customers in line had a chance to win up to $500 in gift cards on Thursday and Friday, he said. The store also offered free coffee to customers in line outside.
“Well, just come join us,” he said. “Expect to have a lot of fun.”
Belk encouraged shoppers to shop early online to take advantage of free shipping on orders of $25 and more.
The store is offering up to 60% off on women’s boots and shoes, Kim Rogers clothing for $14.99 and three-piece bed-in-a-bag sets for $19.99, according to its website.
JCPenney is giving away coupons up to $500 to people in line when the store opens at 6 a.m. Friday, said Nathan Potter, general manager.
“We’ll have thousands of people through the door,” Potter said.
The store begins preparing for holiday sales as soon as it finishes the back-to-school season, he said.
“We’ve been preparing for months,” Potter said.
This will be his second year at the store on Black Friday. Potter said as a retail worker, he and others enjoy the opportunity to guide customers through the store and help them find the right gifts for their loved ones on Christmas. Even during the moments of long lines and unhappy customers, retail workers have to keep their heads up, he said.
“This is what we work for all year,” Potter said.
JCPenney also is pushing online orders, with an offer of free shipping on orders of more than $49.
Select styles of women’s boots regularly $60 to $80 will be on sale for $29.99. SEPHORA arctic eyes eye shadow palette, regularly $35, will be available at $10, according to the store’s website.
Additionally, BIG LOTS! anticipates its best Big Friday since its move to 2750 N. Roberts Ave., Manager Jon Howard said.
“We just anticipate having a bigger year than we did in previous years past,” he said.
Howard said the new location is in a higher traffic area, which will contribute to this year’s success.
He also said the store didn’t need to hire additional workers for the season because its grand opening was in June and necessary staff already was in place.
Store management decided to change up its Black Friday routine this year.
“What we did this year differently from years past is actually we started our Black Friday sale two weeks prior to Black Friday,” he said.
It also joined other retailers in competition for online sales with its offer for free shipping with online purchases starting at $59.
The store also will offer a buy-one-get-one 50% off sale on a variety of select toys. Artificial trees, Yankee candles and other select holiday decorations will be 20% off, according to the store’s website.
