On a cold, breezy morning, just hours after enjoying a Thanksgiving meal, Merced residents looking for a bargain lined up around the Target store at the Merced Mall.
Sarah Stillman, store manager for Target, was working her second Christmas at the Merced store. And she couldn't believe the number of people who showed up for after-Thanksgiving deals.
"Compared with last year, we are way up in sales," Stillman said.
Merced Sun-Star - Target security officer Aubree Hutchings, right, checks Dos Palos resident Shelley Woods purchase as she leaves the store Friday morning.
Merced Sun-Star - Ranch Supply employee Allison Macias, right, helps customers Ralph and Rose Martin of Merced as he looks for a pair of jeans Friday. Ralph Martin says Black Friday doesn't bother him either way; he usually stays at home, but he needed a pair of jeans so they came into town.
Despite preparing for a weak economy, Stillman said sales have been up for the past six months. The lines that snaked around the building were filled with people ready to open their pocketbooks on the day after Thanksgiving.
The day after Thanksgiving is commonly known as "Black Friday" because that's when stores hope to put themselves in the black with a lot of sales.
The nation's retailers ushered in the traditional start of the holiday shopping season with expanded hours and deep discounts on everything from toys to TVs. Their hope was to get consumers, many of whom have slashed spending to focus on basics amid high unemployment and tight credit, to open their wallets.
Optimism rose in early fall as shoppers spent a little more, but stores say they've seen a sales slowdown since Halloween, putting merchants more on edge. The holiday weekend poses high stakes for retailers that have suffered through a year of sales declines. It's also important for the broader economy, which could use a kick-start from consumer spending.
At Merced Ranch Supply, a small, locally owned Western clothing and feed store, the day after Thanksgiving isn't the big day. It's the weekend after Thanksgiving that brings people in.
Margie Osotio, manager of the Highway 59 store, said most people go to the big-box stores on Friday, then head for the smaller stores on the weekend.
"We are expecting to be extremely busy this weekend," Osotio said.
With the cold weather finally here, work boots and jackets are flying out the door at Merced Ranch Supply, Osotio said, along with vests and other cold weather clothing.
"Our best business is in clothing," Osotio said. "Jeans and jackets, and supplies for pets, too."
Going to a smaller store means a customer can get personalized service easier, Osotio said. Spring and winter are the dynamic months for her store, and she depends on Christmas for big sales.
"The fourth quarter is always our biggest," Osotio said.
At Target, Stillman said that she was a bit worried because of the bad economy, but her worries dissolved first thing in the morning.
Looking at the people lined up to pay for their purchases, Stillman was happy.
"This is way better than we expected," she said. "There seems to be good spirits all around."
Reporter Carol Reiter can be reached at (209) 385-2486 or creiter@mercedsun-star.com.
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