Though Black Friday is largely the province of malls and big-box stores, local independent businesses are getting into the act with sales that start Fri., Nov. 25 and extend throughout the weekend and beyond.
Of special note is Small Business Saturday, a promotion sponsored by American Express that will allow shoppers to pre-register their Am/Ex and use it at an independent business to get a statement credit of up to $25. (They're also giving away gift cards to those already in the Am/Ex club in the days leading up to the event.) Check out smallbusinesssaturday.com for the full details.
Many of the business below are participating in Small Business Saturday and are putting their own unique spins on the traditional Black Friday sales.
ANNABELLE BUTTERFLY 5332 Gulfport Blvd. S., Gulfport, 727-327-6200. Support local artists Hugo Porcaro, Natty Moss Bond, Frank Strunk III and many more and enjoy storewide savings at Annabelle Butterfly's Black Friday sale. Every stick of Annabelle's fabulous hand-painted and/or antique furniture will be 11 percent off. That handcrafted chain-mail jewelry you've been eyeing? It’s 11 percent off, too. As are all locally created art, cards, soaps and jewelry, vintage hats and personal and home accessories. Plus, skip Hallmark and buy four greeting cards created by Natty Moss Bond and get the fifth one free.
BUFFALO GAL VINTAGE CLOTHING ACCESSORIES AND GIFTS 911 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-290-8468, buffalogalvintage.com. Buffalo Gal — St. Pete's home of all things retro and indie chic — will definitely have some type of Black Friday sale going on, though at press time they hadn't decided on exactly what. Owner Desiree Sheridan does promise to keep up her tradition (now in its fourth year) of offering shoppers a shot of Wild Turkey with every purchase of $30 or more.
GEM & JEWELRY SHOW Nov. 25-27, The Coliseum, 535 Fourth Ave. N., St. Petersburg, frankcoxproductions.com, $4 admission. Come for the great sales by jewelry dealers from across the country, but stay for the rare minerals, giant sharks' teeth and fossils that will be on display. And the people-watching, of course.
GULFPORT'S FIRST ANNUAL GREEN SATURDAY ALTERNATIVE HOLIDAY MARKET Sat., Nov. 26, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at historic Scout Hall, 5315 28th Ave. S. and the surrounding area of Chase Park, facebook.com/GreenSaturday. Sponsored by Peaceful Plate, Florida Frontiers, City of Gulfport and Eflex, Green Saturday will feature unique earth/people/pet-friendly handmade items, a solar oven bakeoff, kids' area, take-and-make gifts, gift wrapping and much more. The promoters promise that anyone who rides a bike to the event instead of driving will get a free gift, too.
ISLANDER MASSAGE AND SKINCARE 39-B Davis Blvd., Tampa, 813-253-3086, www.islandermassageandskincare.com. Tell your friends and family to loosen up this holiday season with a gift certificate to Islander Massage. To sweeten the deal for you, the thoughtful shopper, Islander will throw in a free gift certificate when you buy four (good for 60 or 90 minutes only). Give the four you paid for away, but go ahead and keep that free one for yourself. You've earned it.
OCEAN PRIME 2205 N. Westshore Blvd., Tampa, 813-490-5288, www.ocean-prime.com. Take a break from the mall madness and get a sweet Black Friday lunch deal at Ocean Prime. For only $20, score a four-course, prix fixe meal. Menu items include: choice of French onion soup or lobster bisque; house salad with goat cheese, Granny Smith apples and walnuts; a half turkey club with smoked bacon on toasted brioche, and carrot cake for dessert. As even more incentive to dine in, they'll be honoring Happy Hour deals all day long.
SARAH’S BOOT CAMP 404 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Suite A, Clearwater, www.sarahsbootcamp.com. If you’re driven enough to partake in the conspicuous consumption of the busiest shopping day of the year, you must have it in you to shape up in 2012. Get buff and motivated with a stint in Sarah's Boot Camp, which is offering a stocking full of discounted membership offers, training specials and beefed-up gift certificates for Black Friday shoppers. They are literally too numerous to list here, so check sarahsbootcamp.com for more info.
SINGING STONE GALLERY & STUDIO 1903 N. 19 St., Tampa, 813-247-2787, singingstoneonline.com. Home to locally created designer jewelry, Singing Stone is hosting a special Black Friday Boutique from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Black Friday. The gallery will be offering complimentary mimosas and hors d'oeuvres (while supplies last), as well as a storewide discount of 10 percent that shoots up to 50 percent off selected merchandise. Singing Stone offers layaway at no interest, and will be participating in Small Business Saturday.
SOPHIE'S FRENCH BAKERY AND CAFE 1633 W. Snow Ave., Tampa, 813-254-5257, sophiesbakerycafe.com. Sweeten your holiday celebration with tarts, tortes, brulees and brownies from this Hyde Park bakery. Sophie's is into a little delayed gratification with their Black Friday sale; all holiday pre-orders get a 10 percent discount. Plan ahead and reap the tasty rewards.
SQUARESVILLE 508 S. Howard Ave., Tampa, squaresvilletampa.com. Craig from Squaresville called me up and said, "Hey, I want to be in your Black Friday indie shopping guide!" But when I asked what the sale was, he said they didn't have anything planned. We brainstormed for a moment. "How about 10 percent off, storewide?" he offered. I said that sounded like a deal to me.
ST. PETERSBURG CLAY COMPANY 420 22nd St. S, St. Petersburg, 727-896-2529, stpeteclay.com. Creative Clay's second annual Black Friday ceramics sale and brunch runs from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., leaving you plenty of time to sleep off that Thanksgiving dinner before heading out to shop. In addition to a great Black Friday deal (spend $35 or more on Black Friday and get a $5 off coupon for the annual holiday sale held Dec. 3-4; spending $50 or more gets you $10 off), shoppers can sip on bloody Marys and mimosas as they browse the array of functional and sculptural work made by local ceramic artists.
ST. PETE COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE 14 18th St. S., St. Petersburg, stpeteacupuncture.com. This St. Pete acupuncturist hopes to give rank consumerism a little poke by celebrating Buy Nothing Day and giving away services for free. St. Pete Community Acupuncture will be providing complimentary acupuncture treatments from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Black Friday. Walk-ins are welcome if space allows, though they recommend you call and make an appointment. All they ask is that you take some of that money you saved and support a small, local business this year. Talk about a fair trade!
TARPON SPRINGS THANKSGIVING WEEKEND ART AND CRAFT FESTIVAL Nov. 26-27, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 111 E. Tarpon Ave., Tarpon Springs, 727-322-5217. Now in its 21st year, this festival (sponsored by Bright House Networks) will feature original works from established artists and up-and-comers who will be accessible during the show to discuss their work. Promoters also promise folk art, earthenware, paintings, wearable art, body products and personalized gifts.
UNIQUELY YOURS BOUTIQUE 111 Second Ave. NE, Suite 101, St. Petersburg, uniquelyyoursboutique.com. Uniquely Yours has two special offers this Black Friday that aren't exactly one of a kind, but are pretty damn enticing none the less. First up, clothing or jewelry will be buy one, get a second for 50 percent off. And as a special bonus, shoppers who spend $60 or more will receive a free gift valued at $15-$20 and described by Uniquely Yours as a "great little Christmas gift or stocking stuffer." Additional reporting and information provided by Julie Garisto and LocalShops1.com.
This article appears in Nov 24-30, 2011.