Bleak Friday

The flocks of eager shoppers flooding through the front doors before the crack of dawn is a sight best suited for the big box stores.

Those who want to shop for arts, crafts, antiques, boutiques, knickknacks and custom jewelry typically wait for a later day. Smaller shop owners are just fine with that - for the most part.

Most of them were sitting around with nothing to do Friday. The flock of shoppers flew south for the day. That's where the big retailers are.

Those who own and manage mom-and-pop or niche stores have learned one lesson about the Christmas shopping season. Black Friday is reserved for the heavy hitters along the lines of Wal-Mart, Macy's, JCPenney and Target.

"They're all at the malls today," said Dan Duncan, owner of Antique Sampler in downtown Brooksville. "Black Friday is totally different for us. We'll probably get busier tomorrow or next week."

No one was shopping Friday along Main Street. The courthouse - which is the heart, lungs and nerve center of downtown - was closed. There wasn't a pedestrian in sight aside from the occasional patron exiting the local diner.

The sales force at Patricia's Boutiques, located at the corner of Broad and Main streets, didn't even make an effort. The store closed early Wednesday and stayed that way during the next two days.

Black Friday didn't give Brooksville Florist a spark either. Not a soul wandered into the East Jefferson Street store that morning.

"They haven't exactly been knocking down our door," joked saleswoman Laura Lace. "We're hoping it will get better soon."

Black Friday got its name because the day after Thanksgiving was the target day for retailers to reach a profit for the year or "hit the black." That is no longer the case for most of the mass retailers, but smaller stores still rely heavily on the last six to eight weeks of the year.

Ironically, Black Friday is a slower-than-normal day for them. That doesn't mean they don't see the momentum build as Dec. 25 nears.

Once people purchase their big items at the discount stores, they can focus their attention on buying that unique piece of jewelry for their loved one or find an antique chair that would go well in their friend's living room.

The necklaces, bracelets and rings at Peace Tree Trading can't be found at Kay Jewelers.

"Traditionally, it's just not a big day for me," said owner Mary Kirkconnell. "They come after Black Friday."

Kirkconnell's store is mostly stocked with Native American-styled items, which range from clothes to paintings.

The holiday season is particularly a busy time for her jewelry business, she said.

"I'm ready for it," she said of the last five weeks of the year, in spite of the uncertainty. "I'm not in fear at all this year."

The constant media reports of a sputtering economy don't affect store owners like her, she said, but they can affect the mindset of shoppers.

Even still, people want to buy gifts for their loved ones every November and December. Those gifts might not be as expensive as they used to be, but shopping is still a vital part of the local culture.

"People are still going to buy gifts," Kirkconnell said. "That's not going to stop."