Westwood Shop Owners Hope for Better Turnout on Small Business Saturday

Westwood saw a variety of sales and customers during the madness known as Black Friday. Stores Mount Everest, Gap, and You're So Invited received lots of attention from shoppers today, leaving Westwood Pets, Hartly and Warehouse Cheap and Chic with their usual friday business.

The streets of Westwood were bare when stores began to open this morning. The most action the town saw this early on was at , with customers thirsty for their morning coffee before heading to the mall for holiday savings. But business owners remained positive for the afternoon and tomorrow's national Small Business Saturday.

One shop that saw good business this morning was . With an early bird special from 7 to 10 a.m. and deals lasting all weekend, the Ski Shop remained crowded throughout the day. Manager Tim Trass said Mount Everest likes to give back to their regular customers, by providing them with an additional discount for coming out on Black Friday.

"We're a family business and we've had some customers for 40 years, so we do a little more for them," Trass said. "Anyone can look in the paper and see huge blowouts at the mall and Target."

Trass said his customers like to come in early and get a little something extra off their sporting equipment. Since Mount Everest is a specialty sporting goods store, they have more knowledge about the products they sell, as opposed to more broad stores, he said.

Englewood resident Gloria Altomave, 81, has been coming to Mount Everest for 20 years. She said she started just renting skis, then bought a pair of her own. She now has 3 grandsons and brings them to this Westwood ski shop every season.

"I taught them how to ski on Mt. Everest rentals," Altomave said. "Today I bought my 19 year-old grandson a ski package!"

Westwood's also had lines at their registers, with their $19 women's jeans sale until noon. Shoppers like Anita Hutton of Washington Township find corporate stores in small towns more appealing than mall-shopping on Black Friday.

"My daughter's at the mall," Hutton said. "That's why I'm here. I won't go near the malls."

Other customers like Stacey Mullin and her son just happen to be in town and wanted to do some shopping.

"We happen to be in town and needed some jeans so we came to Gap," Mullin said.

customer Kathy Sacci also just wanted to buy some pants in town today.

"It has nothing to do with Black Friday. My daughter needed leggings," Sacci said. "But I can never come in and not buy something."

Despite Cheap and Chic's buy three get one free sale, the store saw little action Friday, according to Sales Representative Debbie Biedenkapp.

"I think everyone's at the malls," Biedenkapp said.

  only saw about six customers before noon after a 9:30 a.m. opening, Manager Regina Deutch said. She said they're hoping for a good response to their week-long sales and Small Business Saturday.

"It's a little slower start," Deutch said.

owner Susan Weinrich said Black Friday is always a slow day in town. She and her employees get a lot done around the store, she said.

"It'd be an interesting kind of reverse scenario if everyone came to Westwood," Weinrich said. "People may think everyone else is going to the mall, let's go to Westwood. They would get the best parking."

Weinrich is hopeful for a good turnout on Small Business Saturday.

Sales on Vera Bradley products brought shoppers into , now at its new location on Westwood Ave. Owner Sharon Aach said she had a good amount of customers since opening at 10 a.m.

Mary Quinn of Jersey City browsed through Vera Bradley bags and wristlets Friday. She comes up north for Thanksgiving and spends Friday shopping in Westwood with family, avoiding the busy malls.

"The day after we always come to town here," Quinn said. "I always find something."