Retailers ready for Black Friday surge

Danville retailers stand ready for a surge of bargain-hunters on Black Friday.

With more consumers shopping deals because of the down economy, retail stores are pulling out all the stops to attract customers with doorbusters, specials and giveaways.

“I think there will be many bargains out there for the shoppers,” said store manager Gary Herndon of Sears in Danville. “All the retailers don’t know what to expect this year. I think it’ll be a good deal for the shopper.”

Up to 134 million Americans will shop over Black Friday weekend — an increase of 5 million people who planned to do so last year, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual Black Friday shopping survey. The retail trade association also predicts 40 percent of shoppers will begin their day by 6 a.m.

Sears — and other anchor stores JCPenney and Belk in Piedmont Mall — will open at 4 a.m. Friday.

Sears brought in extra inventory the past couple weeks and stocked up on hardware, apparel and home fashions, Herndon said. The store will have more available product than last year, specifically TVs and electronics.

The store carries a limited supply of the washer-dryer pairs marked 55 percent off, he added.

Herndon remains positive about the holiday shopping season even though the area has high unemploy-ment. He sees stronger sales at the Danville location than in other markets. He attributes that to a new di-verse base of employment.

Owners Gary and Michelle Bender of Dixie Bags & More on South Ridge Street hope this year’s holiday revenue will be on par with last year’s.

Starting at 9 a.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday, the store will hold an open house replete with samples of tasty gourmet foods to attract shoppers, Gary Bender said. Each day, the first 50 customers can purchase select handbags for $10. Jewelry will be buy two items and get one free. Other prices throughout the store will be slashed.

The Benders hope custom Danville Christmas ornaments draw in sentimental customers.

“There are a lot of people who want to send a little part of home back with family,” Michelle Bender said.

The Ginger Bread House on Memorial Drive has already started experiencing the holiday rush as customers buy Christmas decorations and food for entertaining.

The store bulked up on inventory, especially with the gourmet food, Christmas wines, eggnog and cheese balls, store manager Brian Hamlett said. The retailer will open at 7 a.m. Friday and anticipates traffic for its deals on Christmas trees and gifts.

The Vera Bradley items are always best-sellers, he added.

“It’s busy. It’s exciting,” Hamlett said. “We try to keep everybody happy.”

Leggett Town & Country on Mount Cross Road will open ay 7 a.m. Friday with specials lasting all day, owner Will Leggett said. Carhartt outerwear is a reliable best-seller.

The store stocks ornaments and gift items like Breyer horse collectibles and plush Webkinz animals where kids can take care of their pets in a virtual Webkinz World.

“Pretty much everything is on sale except for feed,” Leggett said.

Target in Coleman MarketPlace is expecting a large turnout Friday, starting at 5 a.m., store team leader Jay Furnas said.

The first 500 guests at Target stores will receive a special gift and store map, according to a corporate news release. From 5 a.m. to noon, customers spending $100 or more may also receive a $10 gift card.

Walmart stores started offering discounts on Nov. 21 and plan to offer huge sales like $3 sleepwear to $298 laptops from 5 to 11 a.m. on Friday. For Thanksgiving Day, the retailer offers 50 online-only specials at Walmart.com. On Saturday, Walmart showcases slashed prices on plasma and LCD high-definition TVs.

JCPenney expects to run out of free Disney snow globes with attached coupons for $10 off a $50 pur-chase within 30 minutes of opening, office associate Sabrina Fowlkes said.

JCPenney increased its overall Black Friday specials by 15 percent this year over last year, according to a corporate news release. The store will offer doorbusters from 4 a.m. to 1 p.m. on outerwear, footwear, accessories jewelry, home items and boxed gift sets.

Toys R Us on Executive Drive will open at midnight — five hours earlier than ever before, according to a corporate news release. More than 70 doorbusters — like a $50 gift card with a purchase of any iPod touch —will be available from midnight to 1 a.m. and then an additional 50 doorbusters will be ready from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. Later deals include savings on electronics, Wii accessories, trampolines, popular toys and $9.99 Nintendo DS Games.

Crayola coupons and free Crayola 64 boxes of crayons will be gifted with any purchase while supplies last, the Toys R Us news release stated.

To attract mall shoppers, Piedmont Mall is offering customers $10 gift cards for spending more than $100 at the mall, associate general manager Tammy Darnell said. Hold on to receipts and get them while they last, he added

The mall, which opens at 6 a.m., is also gifting free “mistle-tote” goodie bags that include Dove choco-lates, Martha Stewart items and other freebies.

Kids can see Santa all day on Friday starting at 10 a.m. Every Monday night from Nov. 30 through Dec. 21 from 6 to 9 p.m., customers can bring their pets for photos with Santa, Darnell added.

“It just doesn’t get much better than that,” Darnell said about the freebies.

Don’t forget to check out other Danville retailers:
• Rippe’s downtown will open 10 a.m. Friday with sales in every department, including additional markdowns on special-value items.

• Abe Koplen Clothing downtown will open 9:30 a.m. Friday with one-third of Florsheim shoes and will offer $100 off a new suit if you bring a used, dry-cleaned suit for charity.

• Lou’s Antiques downtown will discount the whole store starting 9 a.m. Friday.

• Ollie’s Bargain Outlet is closed Thanksgiving but will open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday.

• Big Lots is open Thanksgiving Day from 7 a.m. till 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday.

• K-mart is open Thanksgiving Day from 7 a.m. till 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday.