More Sonoma County consumers returned to in-person shopping Thanksgiving weekend as nation counted record number of shoppers

Despite measly shopper turnout on Black Friday, a record 196.7 million American consumers shopped over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend, according to new projections from the National Retail Federation.

Federation President and CEO Matt Shay said in a media call Wednesday the total number of people who shopped from Thanksgiving Day to Cyber Monday was 17 million more shoppers than in 2021, with nearly 123 million shoppers hitting the brick-and-mortar shops.

“Consumers had expressed a real desire to be back in person resuming some of those pre-pandemic behaviors,” he said.

Most small shops, boutiques and specialty businesses in Sonoma County closed for Thanksgiving and reopened for Black Friday shoppers. While that morning started off slowly, small-business owners said things picked up later in the day and throughout the weekend.

Black Friday is typically the only day Nostalgia Alley in Petaluma has sales, owner Jason Moorhouse said. Because the shop sells used and pre-owned video games and consoles at competitive prices, Moorhouse said having a Black Friday sale is his way of giving back and thanking customers for choosing his shop.

“There’s so many big stores and online retailers but the people choose to come to us and I think that’s really awesome that they help provide for my family and my employees throughout the year,” he said.

Nostalgia Alley’s sale ran from Friday through Sunday, with Friday being the best of the three days and Saturday and Sunday being above average.

Karen Kissler, owner of the Santa Rosa-based Alternatives cannabis dispensary, said Black Friday has also become the new customer appreciation day. The store’s Black Friday was “spectacular,” she said.

“Everybody’s expectations would just be a one-day sale, but we had to capitalize because our competition has gotten so good,” Kissler said.

Kissler said Alternatives, which has a location on Hampton Way and another on Bethards Drive, typically holds sales on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so Black Friday fell in place with promotions that were already planned — with a few extras to hit it home.

“People were calling and offering to give a promotion that we hadn’t even asked for,” Kissler said. “There’s massive competition in the cannabis industry and it all gets funneled toward retail.”

The Batcave, a vintage comics and toy store near Railroad Square in downtown Santa Rosa, reopened its physical shop the Sunday after Black Friday last year and wasn’t able to hold an in-person sale. Owner Mike Holbrook said the store had customers shopping in full force, even leading them to stay open a little longer for stragglers.

“People were just buying everything,” Holbrook said. “We were closed for (Black Friday) during the pandemic and we haven’t done one (a sale) in three years.”

Holbrook said during the pandemic, Batcave held Black Friday sales online, going live on Facebook and showing collectibles on camera. But now that the store has reopened, Holbrook said they’re doing 90% of business in store.

“The people that want collectibles want to see it in person and the ability to hold it in your hand is a big draw for our store,” he said. “This is the first time we’ve been back and running on full store hours.”

Holbrook also said Batcave matches donations for Toys for Tots: For every toy donated, Batcave will donate a toy as well.

Sara Edwards is the small business reporter for The Press Democrat. You can reach her at 707-521-5487 or sara.edwards@pressdemocrat.com. Follow her on Twitter @sedwards380.