"We were shoveling and people were coming in. We were ringing (up
sales) as we were opening. It’s good when (people) can be downtown
shopping. Everybody is really happy and really excited to be down here.
And there is a little snow on the ground that gives us the feel we need
(for Christmas shopping)."--Karin Beyer, Saturn Booksellers, Gaylord,
Mich., in the Herald Times.
"I
don't know if Friday will be a big day for us (local businesses). It
used to be a bigger day, and it's gone down over the years. I wish
people would take the time to come downtown and find out what there is
here, and maybe they'll do that Friday if they can't get out of town.
It'd be nice to have them try shopping here, then make the decision
whether to go somewhere else."--Jim Stalker, the Bookstore, Creston,
Iowa, in the News Advertiser.
"I had no expectations whatsoever, because I didn't know what I should expect. I've never been in retail and I've never been in New Bern, but I've seen four times as many customers today as I would on a typical Friday."--Judy Bryan, the Next Chapter bookstore, New Bern, N.C., in the Sun Journal.
"It's mostly sane people who shop at bookstores so we don't see that business. I went to the movies the night before and there were people camped out waiting for stores to open. That's just crazy."--Tom Holbrook, RiverRun bookstore, Portsmouth, N.H. at Seacoastonline.com
"And most importantly, we offer service. You've been here five minutes, and you've watched conversations going on here with customers that I don't think you're going to see at a Big Box Store."--Michael Cirivello, Literary Life Bookstore, Grand Rapids, Mich., at WOODTV.com.
"We
want to remind people to support the local economy during the holiday
season."--Margi LaPort, the Book Cellar, St. George, Utah, in the Spectrum.
"Historically,
the day after Thanksgiving has been only marginally better than a
typical weekend for us."--Paveen Madan, the Booksmith, San Francisco,
Calif., in the Chronicle.
"A
lot of people have been hovering, waiting for us to open. We beat
Wal-Mart and Best Buy."--Meghan Kaufman, Reader's Digest outlet store,
Hilton Head, S.C., in the Island Packet.