‘Black Friday’ boom hits Foothills retailers
Area merchants say sales are good this year
Staff reports

NORTH VALLEY – Shoppers willing to spend more money, coupled with the area’s growing reputation of having attractive and independent stores, may be the reasons some area merchants are seeing a boom in holiday sales.

“We’re seeing a lot of people today,” said Cave Creek gallery owner Kathryn Norby. “People are getting more comfortable with spending more money.”

She made those comments on “Black Friday,” the day after Thanksgiving, which is considered the busiest shopping day of the holiday season.

Approximately 137 million shoppers nationwide were expected to be out shopping over the Thanksgiving weekend, many of them heading for the electronics and toy departments of stores, according to a news release from the National Retail Federation.

Norby said sales are up this year at The Norby Gallery which she co‑owns with her husband Art. The couple has been in the art business together for 15 years. This Christmas will mark the second season in their new location at the 6200 block of Cave Creek Road.

In addition to greater consumer confidence, she attributed increased sales to more people becoming aware of their new location and to other merchants in the area.

She said holiday shoppers patronize area merchants because, unlike corporate chains, these stores offer more selective items.

Big box retailers, she went on to say, will still pull most of the dollars spend.

Margie Hildre, who was shopping in downtown Carefree late last week, was impressed with the variety of Carefree shops and the unique items these stores offer.

“It’s lovely,” she said.

A Washington state resident, Hildre was visiting family members. This was her first time shopping in Carefree.

South Carolina resident Jenny Montgomery, who was in downtown Carefree on Friday, said she is spending a little more this year because she’s done a better job planning for the holidays.

Montgomery said she expects to spent about $2,000 this holiday season.

Carefree merchant Bill Burnsed said sales for him are as good as ever.

“Compared to previous years, this is my best season ever,” he said. Burnsed owns Carefree Golf,  which sells custom‑fitted golf clubs and provides golf lessons.

Burnsed attributed the boom in his sales this year to word‑of‑mouth. He said the holiday shopping rush hasn’t hit his golf store yet, but he expects sales to steadily increase starting on “Black Friday.”

“We fully expect it to start gearing up and staying up through May,” he said.