Holiday spending expected to be up; Middle Georgia small businesses hope to capture some of those dollars

Holiday shoppers are expected to spend a little more this year on gifts, but the bulk of that money may not be spent at big-box retailers on Black Friday.

The day after Thanksgiving -- traditionally one of the biggest shopping days of the year -- has lost some of its punch, in part because people want to avoid the crowds. Many have been going to pre-Black Friday sales, shopping online or hoping for better deals in December.

Linda Gabany of Macon is among the shoppers waiting to find bargains in December rather than the day after Thanksgiving.

"It's too crowded" on Black Friday, she said.

The fairly new kid on the shopping block is Small Business Saturday -- the Saturday after Thanksgiving that's designed to encourage people to shop at small, locally owned stores.

On that day, also known as Shop Small, small retailers hold special sales and hours.

This year the shops in downtown Perry are kicking it up a notch.

For the first time, members of the Perry Downtown Merchants Association have joined the national Shop Small effort with special events that day.

Nancy Waters, co-owner of Sugarplum Tree at 917 Carroll St., said she didn't hesitate to participate.

"Gosh, because we all do everything together," said Water, who primarily sells children's clothing as well as gifts, shoes and other items for youngsters. "We all stay open the same hours to help promote each other. We're going to have lots of different things going on. There will be carolers walking up and down the street. We are going to have Santa Claus here. There's going to be a lot of neat things going on in downtown Perry."

Nineteen members of the association signed up to participate in a shopping promotion, said Trish Cossart, the association's president and owner of Cossart Design, an interior design firm at 924 Carroll St. For more information about how to participate, go to www.downtownperry.com/pdma.html.

The participating stores are primarily on Carroll Street and nearby streets in the historic downtown area.

"We're a family, and we just want everybody to know about us," Waters said. "It's just a destination."

While there is no similar coordinated event at The Prado shopping center on Forsyth Road in Macon, Carol Kaplan, owner of Carol's Linens, said she's offering special sales and longer hours that day.

"We always participate in Small Business Saturday," said Kaplan, who is "very optimistic" about this year's holiday season.

Carol's Linens moved from Tom Hill Jr. Boulevard to 4123 Forsyth Road in October 2014.

"Now that we've been here a little over a year, we hope people know we're here," she said. "Not only do we still have quality, affordable bedding, but we have expanded out and have affordable gifts."

James Miller, director of communications for the Georgia Retail Association, said the Shop Small movement is catching on with shoppers.

"It's something we support," Miller said. The national retailers will always have their customers. It's nice to have a day dedicated to small businesses that might not have the marketing or ability to publicize as much as national retailers. I definitely think it's picking up steam. I think a lot of people like to shop locally and support their local retailers."

The special day for small businesses was created in 2010 by American Express, and a year later the day became official when it found support from state and federal government officials.

HOLIDAY SPENDING TO AVERAGE $806 A PERSON

While small stores are hoping to attract some of the holiday traffic, national chains are still expected to take a big chunk of the holiday spending. Many of them began holiday sales weeks ago.

"Thanksgiving weekend shopping has evolved tremendously over the past few years and can no longer be seen as the 'start' of the holiday season, though there's no question it's still important to millions of holiday shoppers and retailers of all shapes and sizes," Matthew Shay, president and CEO of the National Retail Federation, said in a statement.

The holiday season -- November and December -- is the biggest time of the year for retailers of all sizes and can account for as much as 30 percent of a retailer's annual sales, according to a federation report.

Shoppers are expected to spend an average of $806 on gifts during the holiday season, according to the federation's annual consumer spending survey. It's the highest amount in the survey's 14-year history. Last year's average was $802.

With the recession in the rear view mirror, an improving economy, low fuel prices and a slow but improving real estate market, people "are feeling better about the economy overall," said Miller, with the Georgia Retail Association.

"You factor all things in, and it leads to a more comfortable and satisfied consumer who is willing to spend a little more money this holiday shopping season than they had previously," he said.

Michael Odom, manager of the Barnes & Noble store at The Shoppes at River Crossing in north Bibb County, said the store is already seeing strong sales.

"I would anticipate for us to have a strong year and for it to be better than last year," Odom said.

Despite strong interest in electronic book readers, such as the Nook tablet, many people still like holding a book in their hands, he said.

"There is a real niche for both, and that's why we strongly support both," he said. "We will have just as many books on our shelves as we did five years ago. I don't think books are going anywhere."

But shoppers will find the doors locked at Barnes & Noble on Thanksgiving Day and at most small shops. The trend for stores to open on Thanksgiving Day seems to have leveled off, with some stores even backing out.

Retailers such as Macy's, Target, Best Buy, Toys R Us, J.C. Penney, Dollar General and Michaels will still open on Thanksgiving Day but most of them are not expanding store hours as they did in past years, according to a report in Time magazine.

Among the stores that will not be open on Thanksgiving Day are Sam's Club, Burlington Coat Factory, Marshall's, Staples, Barnes and Noble, Home Depot and Lowe's.

"In our opinion and everything I've seen, you don't generate any additional sales (on Thanksgiving)," Odom said. "All you do is relocate the time that (the sales) happen. There is no benefit, and there is a huge cost in terms of pulling your people away from what should a day focused with their family."

And don't expect Sugarplum Tree in Perry to be open on Thanksgiving either.

"We don't open on Sundays, and we don't open on Thanksgiving or Christmas," Waters said. "It's just a belief."

Gabany, the Macon shopper who won't be shopping on Black Friday, also won't venture to stores on Thanksgiving Day.

"I don't like that," she said. "You expect to be with family and eating. I don't believe in stores being open on Thanksgiving."

Miller said some stores will be open on Thanksgiving as long as there's demand for it.

"It's a direct response to consumers," he said. "Until customers determine that they don't want to go shopping on Thanksgiving Day, then retailers' doors will remain open."

To contact writer Linda S. Morris, call 744-4223 or follow her on Twitter @MidGaBiz

This story was originally published November 21, 2015 at 9:37 AM with the headline "Holiday spending expected to be up; Middle Georgia small businesses hope to capture some of those dollars ."