LIHU‘E — Shoppers looking for the traditional post-Thanksgiving Black Friday sales were out early Friday morning at shopping centers around the island.
“We were at Walmart at 5 a.m.,” said Annette Hashimoto, pausing at the Deja Vu Surf Hawai‘i, Kukui Grove tent sale. “We didn’t get too much, but it’s the excitement of being with everyone else. This is tradition, getting up early and making the rounds. Oh, I gotta make sure I pay for this after watching the stroller. Even that is the transporter for the things we’re going to get.”
Hashimoto, with three generations of her family in tow, is the owner of Kyla Kaua‘i, but said she won’t be participating in the Made on Kaua‘i Small Business Saturday.
“After all this, I’m going to be too tired,” the grandma said. “But I’ll be at the Sheraton Coconut Beach for the Holly Jolly event, Dec. 10.”
Sara Miura of Deja Vu Surf Hawai‘i said the tent sale that replaced the former late-Thanksgiving night specials, was busy from it’s opening when the first few customers received free Deja Vu shirts with their purchases.
“This is our way of saying ‘Thank you,’” Miura said. “Today, it’s the shirts. Tomorrow during Small Business Saturday, we’ll be passing out shopping bags with minimum purchases. Yes, we’re a Small Business.”
Melissa McFerrin-Warrack of Kukui Grove said Red Eye Hawai‘i is the shopping center’s pop-up for the weekend, taking up space next to Genki Sushi, a few steps away from the bustling tent sale where a browsing customer was overheard saying, “The lines at the other place was too long.”
Sheldon Peralta of Bubbah’s Toy Box said someone already found one of the four specially-marked Hot Wheels that earned them a $50 gift certificate that was part of the small business’s Black Friday offerings.
“We’re doing this through the weekend,” Peralta said. “Hot Wheels are specially priced at $1, and if you find any of the four specially-marked Hot Wheels (only four will be hidden within the store on each day), you earn a $50 gift card from Bubbah’s. There are other specials, too, and we’ll be participating in the Small Business Saturday, the Holiday Fun Fair where we can probably do something with basketballs, and on Sunday, too.”
Vendors with the county’s Kaua‘i Made program will be joining the Kukui Grove Center merchants in offering their holiday wares on Saturday during the Small Business Saturday that will be available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The emphasis on small businesses and their unique offerings, many Kaua‘i Made, will shift to Holiday fun coordinated by Keiki to Career before the shopping center’s Holiday Light show kicks off at 7 p.m. with an appearance by Aloha Dance Studio dancers.
McFerrin-Warrack said most of the bigger stores are also launching special extended holiday shopping hours between now and Christmas. The most accurate way to find out who’s open, and for how long, is to check kukuigrovecenter.com for the most current shopping information.
“It’s a blizzard,” said Stacie Chiba-Miguel, the A&B Regional manager at The Shops at Kukui‘ula where the snow blended with the stronger-than-normal trade winds. “Santa’s already here!”
Additionally, the Hawaiian Miles Giveaway pulled in shoppers who could earn three times Hawaiian Miles after spending a combined minimum of $50 at any of The Shops at Kukui‘ula retailers, many featuring Black Friday sales with discounts of up to 40 percent. There was a maximum amount of receipts allowed to $500.
Shoppers visiting the redemption desk could also sign up for the free Yeti Roadie cooler giveaway.
The receipts from Black Friday shopping could also earn shoppers a free Lappert’s coupon that was good for a free Coffee of the Day, and a pastry while supplies lasted.
Friday also launched the Koloa Elementary School Holiday Bag Fundraiser, where shoppers could get special hand-decorated gift bags by Koloa Elementary School students in grades Kindergarten through Grade 5 for a nominal contribution to the Koloa Elementary School. Each gift bag comes with a holiday tag and bow until Christmas Eve.
