Black Friday in Sioux Lookout event gets thumbs up from local merchants
Tim Brody - Editor
Eleven local retailers stayed open late on Nov. 26 as the Sioux Lookout Chamber of Commerce presented Black Friday in Sioux Lookout.
Fourteen home-based businesses also set up booths at a market at the Legion that evening, which was also part of the event.
The initiative’s aim was to get people out supporting local businesses this holiday season.
Ralph Ireland, co-owner of Ireland’s Jewellery with his wife, Ifka Filipovich, said he saw a steady stream of visitors to his store. “Not run off my feet, but people in pretty much since 5 o’clock pretty constantly.”
He said it was nice to see so many people through the door, “It’s not all sales, but a lot of people will see something and come back and buy it later.”
Ireland said he appreciated the Chamber organizing the initiative, “I think it’s important that we do this. It’s hard. It makes for a long day for us, but it gives the opportunity for people to check what we have and buy here.”
Melissa Bortlis said it was pretty steady at Sioux Lookout Home Hardware Building Centre as well.
Bortlis, along with her husband Eric, will be the new owners of the store in January.
“It’s a great evening for people to get out... and shop local and supporting local businesses is as important as ever after these COVID years,” she said.
“We want people to come in and feel like they’re able to check a few things off their Christmas list and we’ve been seeing people socializing with friends and people they haven’t been getting together with for a while now, so it’s nice to see everyone come together and for the Chamber to be putting on an evening like this is wonderful,” she concluded.