Local retail shops happy with results of Black Friday run

PHOTOGRAPHER: Bethany Bump

Unlike the terrifying tableaus captured by media of Black Friday madness — a customer pepper spraying her way through a crowd, a woman shoved and kicked over a smart phone, an elderly man lying in his own blood — Todd Shinkus saw only smiles and cheer Friday morning.

He walked the streets of Saratoga at 6 a.m. Black Friday, not to shop, but to observe.

“There were certain stores where it was an absolute mad house,” said Shinkus, president of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. “I did quite a bit of driving around as well in the county and it looked like everybody was doing pretty well. There were certainly people out there smiling, carrying around lots of bags, and the weather was unbelievable this weekend.”

As the state touts record-breaking Black Friday sales, local merchants and retailers are boasting satisfaction with last weekend’s sales and turnout. They cite area trends that mimicked national reports in making the weekend successful. People are optimistic, spending is up, the weather was comfortable, and consumers are making an effort to shop locally — after they managed to scoop up big-box bargains at insanely early hours.

New York retailers are reporting their strongest Black Friday weekend in years, according to a survey by the Retail Council of New York State. Concerns about the economy didn’t appear to affect the 85 percent of merchants surveyed by the council who said their weekend sales were better than or the same as in 2010.

Sixty-five percent of merchants were pleased with the sales activity in their stores over Black Friday, and most said they are confident that the momentum created by the holiday foreshadows a strong overall season.

In Saratoga County, strong sales tax and tourism revenues boost the local economy most holiday seasons, said Shinkus. He estimated that spending confidence and overall optimism in the economy extends into the Capital District, as well.

“I don’t think the pessimism that might be out there nationally is really having as much of an impact locally,” he said. “I think people see the job growth that we’re having and economic growth that we’re experiencing in a variety of sectors, and say, ‘You know what? We’re in a pretty good place and I feel pretty confident in the future here, so it’s OK to splurge a little.’”

Smaller shops

Small businesses and retailers got a decent piece of the pie last weekend, as well. With the promotion of Small Business Saturday and the foot traffic from big-box store bargains, local businesses made an effort to collaborate on deals to draw in shoppers.

Retailers in the Beekman Street Arts District, for example, offered combined specials over the weekend, said Shinkus.

Meanwhile, in downtown districts, some merchants offered progressive discounts to customers Black Friday morning. The idea, Shinkus said, being “Come in at 7 a.m. for 40 percent off, 8 a.m. for 30 percent off, or 9 a.m. for 20 percent off.”

“I know the folks in Ballston Spa have set up a number of programs for the holidays to get people to come and shop downtown,” he said. “A lot of people are making a concerted effort to buy local from local merchants in all of the downtowns in our cities and towns and villages. Because they know that the more people spend at downtown local businesses, the more of that money stays in the local economy.”

Retailers throughout the state reported that electronics, in particular discount televisions, were a top Black Friday seller. The deals were advertised early, drawing lines of people to stores for items like gift cards, clothing, jewelry, books and toys in stores both small and large, according to the Retail Council.

Why the nation spent record amounts on Black Friday sales — given its pessimism about the national economy and federal government — is not as confusing as it seems at first glance, said Kajal Lahiri, a University at Albany distinguished professor of economics.

“The consumers are sick of hearing bad news and are looking for relief,” he said. “At this point in time, we’re feeling a little better and less uncertain and there was possibly some kind of pent up lack of buying. People are always itching to get back to their usual lifestyles, which have been withheld for some time, and shopping is a part of that.”

Lahiri said there are certain economic indicators pointing toward recovery. It’s slow, and will be bumpy, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. And that provides enough hope that consumers are feeling optimistic again.

In particular, the Capital Region may be more optimistic than the rest of the nation, he said. The unemployment rate is lower in the state than the nation. And more people approve of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s handling of the state government than approve of the president and Congress’s handling of the federal government.

“He doesn’t create an environment of despair,” Lahiri said. “That psychology locally I think has helped. Your faith in government, your estimate of how the government is working affects your sentiment quite a bit. Those have great impact on consumer sentiment. And sentiment has great impact on consumption.”

Weather helps

As long as there’s not a snowstorm, people will come out for the bargains and for the atmosphere, though, said Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mark Eagan.

And even though retailers are working to find unique and creative ways to lure customers to their own sales over others, Eagan said Black Friday will always be a holiday tradition.

“You have certain people who really want a bargain,” he said. “You have certain people who really like the excitement and hustle and bustle of Black Friday. And then you have some people who, no matter how good the deal is, they don’t like to fight the crowds. And that’s where Cyber Monday comes into play.”

Although some retailers statewide said the unseasonably warm Black Friday weather stalled interest in coats, boots and other winter wear, others attributed the comfortable temperatures to a boost in sales, according to the Retail Council.

Charles Steiner said merchants in Schenectady would have been disappointed if colder temperatures or steady snowfall blighted Black Friday.

In a shopping district like Upper Union Street, retailers, restaurants and businesses rely on the walkable “Main Street” charm and visibility of their storefronts that often draw customers in on foot.

“They gained a great deal because of the weather,” said Steiner, president of The Chamber of Schenectady County. “There’s no question that weather drives people. If they’re out and about and moving around, they don’t have a problem going into various businesses and moving from store to store. You would hear so much griping if weather was bad.”

He said particular areas in Schenectady County like downtown, the Rotterdam Square Mall, Freemans Bridge retail strip in Glenville also benefited from the “extras” that come with Black Friday:

“Your food, your specialties, people forget about that,” Steiner said. “People are out shopping for 12, 14, 15 hours and they have to stop and eat. They grab a coffee. They get gas, lunch, dinner.”