Connecticut businesses prepare for Black Friday

CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — For many shoppers it’s a tradition, and for many stores it’s one of their biggest sales days of the year. We’re talking Black Friday: which may not be exactly the same as what it used to be.

Many stores used to see long lines and shoppers sleeping out for Black Friday sales. Meriden resident Olek Wolski was one of those who braved the cold for a good deal.

“Back in the day I used to yeah,” Wolski said. “I was always the first guy in line.”

These days he does his holiday shopping from the comfort of his warm home.

“For getting deals I would mostly go online,” Wolski said.

And he’s not alone.

“I used to go there in person,” New London resident Anh Calhoun, who says she doesn’t do that anymore. “I do a lot of shopping online.”

“I think about it but I don’t usually do it,” Mystic resident Gregg Fedus said.

With Black Friday deals dropping weeks earlier and offered online at the same prices as in store, many are choosing to avoid the crowds which may be a little smaller these days.

“I tend to stay home on Black Friday,” East Lyme resident Lori Venditti said.

Still, she and her daughter Angie do prefer shopping in person rather than online.

“We’re trying to keep businesses in business,” Venditti said. “So the first thing we do is we go to the stores and if we can’t find it we ultimately have to get the item online unfortunately so.”

“It’s a crazy day for us. It’s one of our biggest day,” Candy Shapiro, who owns Grace in Niantic.

She does expect to be very busy on Black Friday. She offers free gifts to many Grace customers and 30% off the entire store, which allows the small but popular shop to compete with the big stores.

“We learned that all you have to do is have an event that gives back to the people and when you give you get,” Shapiro said.

Not only does Shapiro have to compete with the bigger stores but also with the trends of online shopping and sales which start long before Black Friday.

She says she offers some of her regulars and those who sign up for texts early access to sales like the ones on Black Friday.