Businesses hope shoppers stay in town

Ready or not, the holiday shopping season is here.
Many parish businesses are putting on big sales that started Thursday and continued today for Black Friday in an effort to get people to shop early, St. Mary Chamber of Commerce President Donna Meyer said.
Local business owners were hoping people “will get out and shop, especially with all the sales going on and special promotions,” Meyer said.
“Across the parish … each area is participating in some way to promote shopping in the area,” Meyer said.
Area business leaders realize that due to the economic slump, shoppers may not spend as much as usual during the holidays.
Earlier this month, St. Mary Parish Sales and Use Tax Director Jeff LaGrange said individuals are tightening their belts and cutting unnecessary spending. The region’s economic troubles have taken their toll on parish sales tax collections for the past 12 months as revenues have declined each month since November 2014.
“But I think it’s real hopeful that they will get out and do their shopping,” Meyer said.
Meyer encourages people to shop locally and support parish businesses. “If you’re going to spend those dollars, spend them right here in your town.”
Wildflower Boutique in downtown Morgan City was among the local businesses offering Black Friday sales and is open until 6 p.m. today offering 40 percent off the first item, 30 percent off a second item and 20 percent off a third item.
Wildflower owner Frances Stevens said she hoped to have a steady day of business “where we can give our customers the attention that they need.”
Wildflower’s holiday shopping season started on “Moonlight Monday,” the Monday before Thanksgiving, and saw a great turnout, Stevens said.
For Wildflower, Black Friday “is really for the people who prefer easy parking and less chaos and more attention,” Stevens said.
Though Wildflower’s business is down about 18 percent this year due to layoffs in the local economy, Stevens expects to finish the year strong during the Christmas season.
Stage in Morgan City opened at 6 a.m. today and also was open Thursday afternoon for Thanksgiving, its third year to be open on Turkey Day, said Susan Hall, assistant manager at Stage in Morgan City. Stage closed at 1 a.m. Friday before opening again just five hours later.
“Listening to our customers, we’re expecting to be busy,” Hall said earlier in the week. “Right when you open the doors, you’re busy for about an hour or two, and then it just fades off,” Hall said.
Last year, Hall, who works in the shoe department, remembers the crowd being so big when the doors opened that she had to get out of the way to keep from getting run over, she said.
“I plan to stay out of the way this year,” Hall said with a laugh.
Hall is hoping to have a great shopping season, though the store has felt the effects of the economic downturn as well.
However, even when people don’t have much extra money to spend, many times they’ll find money for Christmas, Hall said.
Shannon Hardware in Morgan City also joined the list of area stores open on Black Friday this year for the first time and was open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. today receiving clerk Mandy Price said. Shannon hoped to “kick start” the holiday shopping season with Black Friday sales, Price said.