Black Friday: Some retailers reporting strong turnout

SHOPPERS take advantage of Black Friday deals at the Providence Place mall last year. / PBN FILE PHOTO/ELI SHERMAN
SHOPPERS take advantage of Black Friday deals at the Providence Place mall last year. / PBN FILE PHOTO/ELI SHERMAN

A few Rhode Island retailers reported strong turnout this Black Friday, though whether the state will keep up with national projections of a 3.7 percent increase in end-of-year holiday sales remains to be seen.
The National Retail Federation has projected that the 3.7 percent hike for both November and December sales, excluding autos, gas and restaurant sales, will be slightly below 2014’s increase of 4.1 percent, but higher than 2.5 percent, the national average over the past 10 years.
“The forecast for growth is a bit slower [than last year’s],” said Kathy Grannis Allen, the federation’s senior director of media relations, in an email, “because there are still some economic indicators out there that show consumers are not at full spending capacity, meaning they are still quite deliberate with their purchases. Overall we are expecting solid growth, though.”
At least one major and one smaller outlet confirmed that Black Friday traffic has been strong.
“This year at midnight there were more people than last year,” said Domenic Schiavone, general manager at the Warwick Mall.
Turnout this year exceeded that of the past three years, Schiavone said, with up to 600 people waiting in line during the wee hours at J.C. Penney and a line for Target wrapped around the building to the rear loading dock.
“All of our entrances had lines, so we are very busy,” he said. “Now, the place is really humming.”
Aaron G. Garabedian, co-managing partner at the mall, said he believes the recent trend in lower gasoline prices has been a factor in encouraging consumer spending.
“Without question, Rhode Island consumers have got more money in their pockets, and it adds to the spending power,” Garabedian said. “I’m convinced of that.”
At What Cheer, a Providence record store, where April’s National Record Store Day is being repeated on Black Friday, sales are brisk, said owner Chris Daltry.
“Record Store Day has made it relevant to people because we get lots of releases and we have live bands here,” he said. “It makes it a fun alternative to the ugliness of Black Friday.”
The store opened at 10 a.m. and has been doing “great” so far, he said. “The holidays are definitely our best time; we’re entering our best month. We will do in one month what we do in six months otherwise, so it’s very good for us,” he said.

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