The holiday rush starts with “Black Friday”

Above, This trio of hardy shoppers arrived at Walmart in Princeton at 6 p.m. Thursday to ensure being first in line 11 hours later for a “Black Friday” special, $198 laptop computer. -Photo Furnished

Merchants at area retail stores reported excellent responses to their “Black Friday,” promotions.
Paul Akridge, at Akridge Farm Store & ACE Hardware, reported sales double that of an ordinary Friday. But there were no overnight campers at his door when he opened at 6:30 a.m., just a steady crowd throughout the day.
“We had more than 600 transactions, but it was spread out evenly until we closed about 5:30 p.m.,” he said.
On the other hand, Allen Dixon, manager at Princeton Walmart, saw some of the usual campers and lines expected at the big box discount houses.
“We had three show up at 6 (p.m.) Thursday,” Dixon said. “They were interested in the $198 laptop computers,” he said, adding that the three were first in line and each got a computer.
Others began arriving about midnight and a larger crowd had assembled by 2 a.m. Friday. “The store was packed by 5 a.m.,” he said, noting that was the hour the special Friday sales began.
Though he declined to cite sales figures, Dixon said they increased over last year. “It was busy until about 10 p.m.,” he said.
Besides the computers, Dixon said his store “had great deals on TVs and great deals on X-Boxes. Both sold out; I’m very satisfied with our sales.”
Both Akridge and Dixon said sales at their stores went very smoothly.
Akridge said ACE always has after Thanksgiving sales, which it advertises nationally and locally. He added that most of the transactions at his store were triggered toward the special sale and gift items.
He noted that ACE had some items that were free after a rebate, but the item had to be bought that day and the rebate dated. Two examples of items free after rebates were a 38-piece ratcheting screwdriver set and a Stanley staple gun.
However, a Shop-Vac valued at $49.99 was available for only $19.99 after a $10 rebate. Akridge explained that ACE only allows its outlets a limited number of such items, in this case 18, but the Eddyville and Fredonia stores each received the limit.
“They sold out pretty quick,” Akridge said, noting that any price on items that didn’t sell out were extended through the next few days. “We were real happy; for our store it was a good day.”