LOCAL BUSINESSES PREP FOR UNUSUAL BLACK FRIDAY
park Mall has yet to give store managers guidelines for holiday B Y DY L A N S AU N D E R S shopping. The only instructions Southpark Mall has provided to lack Friday sales incite stampedes customers so and violence among shoppers, who far are signs pack themselves shoulder-to-shoulencourag ing der in any given store. But with the shoppers to threat of COVID, local businesses and shopwear masks, pers must find some middle ground when it social distance, and comes to health and holiday shopping. Both follow common-sense stores and shoppers face the holidays with health guidelines. uncertainty. Vincent Zubal, a “I don’t know,” said Walsh freshman and manager at PacSun, exNorth Royalton resident Bella Harvey. Belpects to see what he calls la, her sister, and her aunt typically go out “standard procedure”: after Thanksgiving dinner and take advanshoppers will wear tage of Black Friday deals. “We go and shop masks, social distance, until we get tired,” said Bella. “We usually and use hand sanitizer go to Southpark Mall and Target.” She isn’t stations at their discresure how this tradition will hold up come tion on Black Friday. November 27. Her mother has been online Another manager, shopping for the past few Black Fridays, Jackie R. from Zumez, and Bella thinks that her family may follow thinks the plan should suit. Her post-Thanksgiving plans are still in be more detailed with question. information like the Shoppers like Bella aren’t the only ones maximum capacity of without solid Black Friday plans. Southshopp e r s and a closing t i m e t h a t Some shoppers try to get a g i v e s NRHS Senior Noelle Kostyac worke r s a chance to sanitize the building. Zumez plans its business cycle around Black Friday, but Jackie R. said, “We’re all just taking it week by week” this holiday season. With no official Black Friday policies in place, Southpark Mall stores hesitate to make any long-term plans of their own. This year, customers can expect to see many more empty lots on Black Even in the face of such Friday. Most businesses are conducting online Black Friday sales.
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