By Lynne Hendricks
NEWBURYPORT — After a year marked by dismal economic forecasts, tightened budgets and job losses that have caused people to tighten their purse strings, downtown merchants in Newburyport and Amesbury will rely on this holiday season to set them on stable financial footing heading into the new year.
While local shopkeepers can't compete with big-box retailers when it comes to sales of camcorders or television sets on Black Friday and beyond, a few are casting their net as well, offering sales and special deals in hopes of getting in on the first shopping weekend of the year.
"It's not necessarily a Newburyport thing," said Newburyport Chamber of Commerce President Ann Ormond yesterday of the Black Friday hoopla, but she said local shops have been putting out the word that there are deals to be had this weekend and into the holiday season.
"At John Farley Clothiers, if anybody comes in and purchases anything, you get your name in a drawing, and you can win a $3,000 shopping spree," Ormond said. "Box and Bow is going to be doing an additional 25 percent off this weekend. We've got Hyman's up (at Port Plaza), and a lot of other people advertising their specials."
Retailers look at the holidays as their make-or-break season on any given year, Ormond said, and this year with the poor economy hobbling sales across the country, the holidays are taking on a greater significance.
"I think it's huge this year," Ormond said. "I really do think most of them if not all of them rely on the holiday season to make or break their year."
In Amesbury, merchants are gearing up for a big Black Friday weekend, even if, historically, it has been slower on the weekend following Thanksgiving.
"Historically speaking, it's not a very strong day for the downtown businesses," said Amesbury Chamber of Commerce Director Stefanie McCowan, "because most people are going to Walmart, Best Buy, Circuit City and the big-box stores, and then usually Saturday and Sunday they'll have really good days when people are out and about and doing more unique shopping."
"It's not a bad day," added Deb Pagley of the Downtown Business Association, who adds that while a lot of shoppers head out to get good deals on things local merchants don't sell, like television sets and laptops, there are lots of people who find their way downtown.
"The people who despise malls, and there are some, thank goodness, they come downtown," Pagley said. "We'll definitely get our fair share."
Pagley said local merchants are hoping this season helps make up for what's been a very tough year for business.
"We're definitely counting on a good holiday season," Pagley said. "This is the first full year that the economy has been bad. It's been coming for the last few years, but this is the first full year of us really living it. It's affected most businesses — not just businesses in Amesbury. I've talked to people from all over, and it's a pretty universal thing."
For Pagley, who owns the downtown shop Park Place, this holiday season is a make or break time of year.
"This is huge for us," she said. "This is what gets us starting the year fresh, getting all our bills paid and maybe getting some new inventory."
Like so many Newburyport merchants, Pagley and other Amesbury merchants aren't sitting around waiting for the business to come to her this season. She noticed Fiddlestix toy store is offering 20 percent off everything in the store on Black Friday, and other merchants are using their mailing lists to communicate specials to their loyal clientele.
"I had a ladies night out last week that was very well attended, and I'm doing another one on Dec. 9," Pagley said. "I think there are other people in town doing open houses. They're using their mailing lists to send out e-mails and let people know what they have in their stores this year. I think we're all trying a little harder, but you really have to. You have to give it that extra effort."
