During the shopping frenzy that the Thanksgiving holiday has become, one doesn’t need to go far to find great deals.
In fact, savvy shoppers will find that they can save a tank of gas, avoid the mall and find great deals just around the corner.
Local retailers and businesses are preparing for some major economic activity on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday with deals on everything from oversized televisions to makeovers for teens to Ugg boots in every color.
At Beach Sales in Revere, the tried and true company is featuring an LG 60-inch television for the bargain price of $899.
“LG is the largest manufacturer now and this is the same model that was $6,000 only four years ago, except for the fact that this is a better TV – thinner, lighter weight and a great value,†said Howie Friedman of Beach Sales.
Allen Bellinfante said the store at Bell Circle in Revere will be open normal business hours on weekdays, but will add Sunday hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“Most of the electronics will be on sale for Black Friday and the weekend as we compete with the big box stores,†said Bellinfante. “Unlike them, we have experts like Howard Freidman in our TV room and he’s better than any consumer report. He is a consumer report. He knows it all.â€
Bellinfante said he believes TVs will be the hot item this year, but he also said people tend to buy big ticket items from all over the store. That said, they’ll have deals on washers, dryers, refrigerators and stoves.
He reminded customers that Beach Sales has a history with color televisions, as their founder was one of the first in Greater Boston to own a color TV.
“When color television came out, there were only two in Greater Boston,†he said. “One was in the Museum of Science and the other was at my father-in-law’s house on Arlington Avenue in Revere. That TV was at Sumner Friedman’s home and everyone wanted to see it. So, when we say we know TVs, we really do.â€
However, getting to the store is going to require walking in the cold, and one cannot go out without some good boots and warm clothes.
In Lynn, Pennyworth’s is just the place for finding those things.
Barry Galer and his crew at the Lynngate Plaza (read: plenty of free parking) are stocking up on all the favorites like Ugg boots, Carhart jackets, North Face gear and much more.
“We are going to expect a lot of North Face sales,†said Galer. “We expect Ugg to be on the top of many, many Christmas lists and we have a great selection of those. We expect a lot of sneaker sales – primarily for us the new Jordan’s. We got a new line of Jordan’s last week and they sold out in 30 minutes. Our new item this year is clogs with Dansko being the big brand. These have become very hot items, especially in the health industry.â€
Galer said Pennyworth’s is one of the few stores around that specializes in work boots, and they boast brands like Timberland, Chippewa, Merrell and Red Wing. They also have the top brands for snow boots, rain jackets, winter coats, and backpacks.
Likewise, they are one of the few stores that carry infant outerwear.
“That’s huge for us because everyone wants their baby to look as cute as possible,†he said. “They do look adorable and a lot of stores won’t touch it as a business, but we will.â€
In Chelsea, Allen’s Cut Rate Perfumers is the place to stop for a little bit of everything. Owner Rick Gordon carries everything from discounted, top brand fragrances to Christmas décor for the home.
Gordon said his Broadway store is encouraged by the holiday season, and figuring it to be a bit better than previous years.
“We are very encouraged by the holiday shopping season,†he said. “It’s a long shopping season this year because there are five weekends this year instead of four. So, I think it will be a busy and long shopping season where people will buy things over a period of time. We’re busy transitioning the store and we’ll have a storewide sale to kickoff the season this week. Obviously, we’ll have our fragrances discounted and that’s something we’ve been doing for 70 years.â€
Meanwhile, back in Revere, Raina’s Hair Design Studio and Spa has everything one needs to relax and wind down in the days after the holidays.
Owner Raina Morgan said they are offering a Day of Beauty package for $150, and this year they’ve added a Teen Princess package for $175. There is also the Threesome for Men, which includes a facial, shampoo and a haircut.
In addition, the salon is a distributor of Aveda products and offers excellent gift boxes that are pre-made or customized.
“Any of our gift boxes can be customized with hand creams, women’s shampoos and hair sprays,†said Morgan. “The all come gift-wrapped in hand-made paper from Nepal.â€
Other shopping suggestions include:
•The Jewelry Box, 345 Broadway, Revere
•Freedom Communications, the Verizon store at Suffolk Downs
•LaVilla Jewelry, 396 Broadway, Revere
•Vamped! Women’s Boutique, Rt. 1 (Augustine’s Plaza), Saugus
•Skin for All Seasons, 351 Revere St., Revere