For some Princeton merchants it is ho ho ho, but for others, ho hum
By: Courtney Gross
Owners and managers of retail, jewelry or specialty shops in Princeton Township and Princeton Borough don’t seem to be holding their collective breath for the usual nonstop shopping bonanzas of today’s Black Friday.
For many stores in Princeton, Black Friday the mind-numbing shopping extravaganza full of long lines and crowded counters is just another day.
Although department stores have scheduled longer hours some even opened Thanksgiving Day small businesses in Princeton are not extending hours or dramatically increasing their staffs for shoppers today. And some, including the common retail shopping stops, are not expecting any enormous rush of shoppers.
Even though Palmer Square hosts its annual tree-lighting, many see the festivities wrought with foot traffic, but not necessarily holiday profits.
David Perini, co-owner of the trendy apparel store Honey West, said the shop is not going out of its way today because many holiday shoppers will be visiting the sales of area department stores.
But by this weekend, Mr. Perini added, Honey West should experience more of the holiday blitz.
"In retail, you can never essentially count on anything," Mr. Perini noted. "It’s day to day, especially in Princeton."
Other shops in the Palmer Square area, including The Papery of Princeton a seller of Vera Bradley handbags, leather journals and personalized stationary are bracing for the year’s biggest shopping day. The Papery is almost doubling its staff, from three sales associates to five. Caroline Mitchell, The Papery’s manager, said the store expects to also double the sales of a normal Friday.
The square’s activities, Ms. Mitchell added, definitely increase downtown Princeton’s foot traffic.
But for some shops in Palmer Square, it is not holiday shopping that draws visitors in from the frigid climate of the holiday season, but sweets.
For Thomas Sweet Chocolates, Black Friday means the end to a very busy week of festivities and the beginning of a hectic holiday season, the chocolate shop’s manager, Karen Youngers, said. Shoppers won’t be hoarding treats away for weeks or months as gifts, Ms. Youngers said they are impulsively partaking in sugar highs.
But outside of Palmer Square, many managers’ and owners’ hopes are not as high for Black Friday.
Although a winged, gold angel and Christmas tree are displayed in her store’s window on Witherspoon Street, Jane Tallon, the manager of specialty gift and jewelry store Lisa Jones, said the rainy forecast could keep people away.
"Last year, we expected a rush and we were disappointed," Ms. Tallon said. "In Princeton, people do more window shopping than holiday shopping."
Some merchants in the Princeton Shopping Center are also not anticipating blowout profits.
Having already held sales and based on previous years, Princeton Jewelers’ manager Sharon Appello said more Princeton residents would head to Macy’s or electronic stores early in the season for markdowns and deals. The Princeton Shopping Center jewelry store purposely held its sales last week, she added, to avoid the rush.
"The whole shopping center is dead," Ms. Appello said of typical Black Fridays. "Black Friday is not a big day for us."
As shoppers whiz from J.Crew for seasonal sweaters or to Small World Coffee for caffeine fixes today, Palmer Square will host its annual Tree Lighting Spectacular.
The festivities begin at 4:30 p.m. and the actual tree lighting will start at 5 p.m., which includes some assistance from Santa Claus. The Holiday Brass will provide seasonal music from 4 to 6 p.m.
The event includes characters weaving throughout Palmer Square’s corridors dressed as sugarplum fairies or Christmas ornaments, among others, from Graham Lustig’s "The Nutcracker" from 2 to 4 p.m.
The celebration will also include the Princeton High School Choir performance, "Holiday Brass and Santa!" at 4:30 p.m. as well as strolling musicians "Snow, Sleighbells and Saxophones," from 6 to 8 p.m.

