It was a bargain lovers’ paradise in Fernie today, as local businesses offered some great deals as part of the community’s first Black Friday shopping event.
Local businesses and the Fernie Chamber of Commerce came together to convince shoppers to stay local instead of heading across the Alberta or U.S. borders.
Business owners said they had noticed more people than usual shopping today.
"It's definitely been a busy day for us," said Mark Gallup, owner of The Guide's Hut on Second Avenue.
"We'll have to see what it looks like after the dust settles, but we have had a lot of interest. With all the hype about Black Friday, people have been coming in to check out the deals and ended up buying stuff even if it's not on sale."
Other businesses have also been offering deals to shoppers today.
“To help people shop local I think it’s important to give them some great deals,” commented Mark Hall, owner of local business Gear Hub.
“It’s going to be pretty unbeatable, either online or anywhere really, we’ve got sales across the whole store in all categories, with up to 75 per cent off on lots of amazing stuff.”
The Guide's Hut and Gear Hub are just two of the Fernie outlets taking part in the event. Barkside Pets, The Guide’s Hut, Carosella, Green Petal, Freyja Lifestyle Fashion, Heaven Boutique, Boardstiff, Odyssey, and Ghostrider Trading Company also offered Black Friday deals. Also joining in on the sale action is Loaf Bakery, Fernie Brewing Company, and The Free Press.
With such a close proximity to the border and the ease of online shopping, the shop local theme is becoming more and more relevant in the City of Fernie.
“We have such an active community, and I think its important being a border town, either with Alberta or the U.S., to kind of pay attention to what’s going on,” remarked Hall. “I find that lots of people like to shop local as long as it doesn’t cost them a huge premium, it has to be a competitive price.”
Each store is offering their own deals and discounts. For a full list of all the participating businesses and sale details, visit http://www.fernieblackfriday.blogspot.ca.