PORT TOWNSEND — There’s Thanksgiving. That’s the same Thursday in November every year.
Everybody eats too much, and hardly anybody goes shopping except for last-minute cranberry sauce.
Then there’s the day after Thanksgiving, when big-box merchants open their doors early with loss-leader lures and scores of “best-ever” deals on limited numbers of big-ticket items they hope will make us linger longer.
And now there’s Small Business Saturday, which American Express kicked off this year, with Port Townsend as one of the three cities in the nation to get special attention and help make the new emphasis on local neighborhood businesses a regular tradition
On Saturday, the streets were very busy.
James Arsulich and his trusty steed, Hope, from Port Townsend Livery & Carriage Co. were in from Old Tarboo Farm of Quilcene offering carriage rides.
The Wild Rose Chorale was out on the sidewalk, bringing smiles and touching hearts with its rendition of a Welsh lullaby.
Mari Mullen of Main Street supervised the video being done to enhance American Expresses future efforts.
Anyone with an American Express card who signed up online will receive $25 off their next bill for merchandise purchased with the card at participating stores.
Hilary Metzger stopped by the wrapping station run by Darlene Quale, whose students from the Key Club at Port Townsend High School offered an assortment of the specialized wrapping made by Port Townsend Paper Co.
The classy oil-cloth apron for her sister drew approving comments.
“And I have an American Express card, so I got it for free,” Metzger said, beaming.
Erin Holt brought husband Brandon all the way to visit the bead store, while the family sported one of many Small Business Saturday shopping bags seen around town.
Patience Holt, 4, had her own shopping bag from The Sand Castle and showed off the bright, early Christmas dinosaur toy inside.
Her brother, Kincade, had one, too. Although shorter and looking more like 3, Kincade was clearly practicing for Santa, who arrives in Port Townsend at 4:30 p.m. next Saturday for the lighting of the Christmas tree at Haller Fountain at 4:45 p.m.
How old are you, Kincade’s dad prompted him.
“I 8,” he said. How old? “I 8,” he insisted.
In case the run-on beginnings of the holiday shopping season aren’t enough to loosen the credit cards, tomorrow is Cyber Monday, a phrase coined five years ago when retail market watchers discovered that online shoppers — still a relatively small part of the market — get the fever to spend the Monday following Thanksgiving.
Since sales popped up anyway, why not enhance it with good deals? Cyber Monday is still growing in popularity.
After Cyber Monday, it’s kind of downhill. There are still 27 as-yet-unnamed shopping days until Christmas.
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Julie McCormick is a freelance writer and photographer living in Port Townsend. Phone her at 360-385-4645 or e-mail julie mccormick10@gmail.com.
