Tis the shopping season

Shop Local is now one year old. It has been very successful in delivering extra value to district residents who choose to spend their hard earnings locally. Many residents are receiving cash Go Local cards in the mail right now. Over 480 cards each valued at $25 have been sent to district residents to use locally.
As we head toward Christmas, the number of cards sent out to residents will grow. And merchants are finding additional ways to make shopping in locally more valuable. This weekend many of the merchants will be hosting Black Friday sales to counter the temptation to shop away. District retailers are going the extra mile.
Black Friday was initially marked as the date that retailers in the United States, moved into the black and that everything sold or earned by businesses following that day went toward profit. Merchants made decisions to try and boost sales on the Friday following the US Thanksgiving by having huge sales and discounts.
For many years following the creation of Black Friday, retailers did not open until 8:00 a.m. on Friday. That opening time was pushed back to midnight with crowds lining up early on Thursday. Today many of those “Black Friday” sales begin as early as 5:00 p.m. on Thursday.
Many of those same merchants are now creating a full week of Black Friday sales.
Almost every weekend now to Christmas, the communities in the district, Rainy River, Emo, Fort Frances are creating extra attractions for residents to find their way to those communities on the weekend.
The merchants of Fort Frances have an exciting last Saturday of November planned in the downtown, with the street being closed, floats being constructed, activities for children special sales.
Next weekend, the businesses of Emo will host the annual Holly Daze and Rainy River will have their annual Santa Claus parade.
Santa will be busy making his appearance everywhere.
The Christmas retail season will be in full stride this weekend. For some retailers the holiday retail season can account for as much as 40% of annual sales with the average being about 19% of annual sales.
In Fort Frances and across the district many of those dollars will be used to help classrooms, hockey teams, service clubs, libraries and hospitals.

–Jim Cumming,
Publisher