Black Friday in Kent: Merchants get a good feeling, but no firm figures yet

As Black Friday dawned across Kent, the blue skies seemed to herald two things retailers had been hoping for: shoppers and optimism for a good holiday season.

“It feels better than last year’s,” said Nick Samas, store manager at the Kent Station Game Stop.

Samas said shoppers were lined up outside the store before its 6 a.m. opening. He called the day “the best Black Friday in a long time.”

Samas said along with the line at opening, there was a steady stream of customers through the store, unlike last year where there were early shoppers, but then sales tapered off.

“This year it’s really steady,” he said.

Across the street at Zumiez, manager Jason McKinlay said the store had hit last year’s goal by 1 p.m. and that there were shoppers in the store during the 6 a.m. opening hour.

“People are getting ready for the holidays,” he said. “Everyone’s looking for the cheap deals.”

McKinlay said it was an encouraging start to the season.

“We’ve got to keep positive,” he said.

At Marie Haggin Accessories, owner Debbie Marie Haggin said she actually had a good Black Friday last year, and that by mid-afternoon this year she was on track to have another good sales day. Last year she opened her store early, but said shoppers did not show up until later, but this year, when she opened the shop at its normal time, customers were already peering in the store and ready to buy.

“I’m feeling very hopeful,” she said.

Kent Station General Manager John Hinds said he liked what he was seeing so far at the shopping center.

“I’m really optimistic,” he said about this year’s season compared to last year, when the economy and a series of terrible weather weeks seemed to conspire against retailers.

“I feel very confident we’re going to beat last year’s numbers,” he said.

Shoppers also lined up for early deals at the city’s major retail stores, including Fred Meyer and Target, both of which opened early this year.

Mike Cobb, a food manager at Fred Meyer who was on duty when the shop opened Friday morning, said the crowds were “barely” down from last year, but items such as board games and televisions were still drawing big crowds and kept shoppers coming in all day long, which surprised him somewhat because of the current state of the economy.

“You’d have thought there were less people spending money,” he said.

Over at Target, store team leader Glen Edwardsen said his store was “very busy” at opening, including people lined up and circling the parking lot looking for spaces as they opened the doors.

“So far it looks like we’re doing better than last year,” he said Friday afternoon, adding that sales were strong in the morning and steady through the middle of the day.

Edwardsen said customers were also pleased to see members of the Kent Police Department patrolling the parking lot to keep things safe.

“They really appreciate that,” he said.

Edwardsen said anything dealing with home entertainment was very popular this year and said he too was “very optimistic” about sales.

“People want to do something fun for the Christmas and it is clear in how they’re shopping,” he said.

Though many of the downtown business did not host any early sales for Black Friday, retailers reported that business was better than last year.

Eric Sach at the Balanced Athlete said this year’s kickoff was “definitely better” than last year and closer to what he considers a “normal” Black Friday and he hopes business will continue to grow though the season.

“I think people are saving money right now,” he said.

Judi Stringfellow at English Cottage Collection said business was good on Friday and that her November numbers are “neck-in-neck” with last year, but said the atmosphere is certainly better this season than it was in 2008 and well into this year.

“People seem more upbeat than they were a couple of months ago,” she said.