By Carolyn Iamon, Brandon O’Connor and John Simpson

The Post- Searchlight

The frenzy that accompanies Black Friday year in and year out has spread to the businesses small and large around Bainbridge as shoppers head out to find the best deals for Christmas. 

Belk’s and Walmart saw a massive influx of customers looking to take advantage of the deals after they opened their doors on Thursday evening.

“[Thursday} we opened at four,” Teresa Hall, the store manager at Belk’s, said. “It was a good afternoon. We were pretty busy. We gave over 250 gift cards out and it was pretty busy all evening…The door busters draw the customers here, The boots were one of the biggest things and we had some comforter sets that were really popular.”

The steady stream of customers continued on Friday.

“I love shopping at Belk,” Tammy Hill said. “They always have super deals on Thanksgiving so I always like to come and pick up their great deal trying to get a head start on my Christmas shopping.”

Reeve’s, Flint River Outfitters, Bella’s Boutique, and Maiden South have all had a busy day despite having no flashy gimmicks like big businesses.

The stores also are preparing for Small Business Saturday along with Black Friday, and will show appreciation to their customers who shop with them on Saturday. Reeve’s will be extending their Black Friday sales to Saturday, which includes generous percentages off of select items including Brighton jewelry, Happy Everything, teacher totes, candles and Thyme products.

They are also doing free monogramming with any purchase of a rain jacket or robe.

Bella’s will be providing refreshments for their customers on Saturday as a way to show appreciation. Their Black Friday deal was a draw that revealed what percentage off customers got and also showed if they won door prizes.

Flint River Outfitters had a big Black Friday that saw all items in the store selling at a quick rate. Guns, clothes, sunglasses and yeti products in particular were among the items going at a good rate. Owner Edwin McCullers said they are on pace to have a more successful Black Friday this year than last year.

Maiden South is honoring their customers on Small Business Saturday by providing donuts to their customers and will be open from 10 am to 2 pm.

Godwin Jewelers annual sale brings early morning shoppers from far and wide.

Beginning at 8 a.m. the items are advertised as 50% off between the hours of 8 and 10 a.m., with the discount decreasing at 10 percent intervals as the hours go by.

One couple from Tallahassee, Edwin and Brandi Collins, were happily purchasing a watch, a necklace and three rings.

They said they always buy their jewelry at Godwin’s, and for the last 10 years they have been hitting the Black Friday sale here.

“The after-Thanksgiving sales always fall at the right time,” commented Collins, explaining that their wedding anniversary is December 8. On this Friday they purchased matching wedding rings in observance of their 15th anniversary.

Susan Smith, a former Bainbridge resident who now resides in Atlanta, was happily picking out a diamond and gem stone bracelet. She was here celebrating Thanksgiving with her family. “I found a bracelet at a far better price here than at the stores I shop in Atlanta,” she confided.

Another couple, who preferred to remain anonymous, said they were there to shop for a relative. They found a pair of pearl earrings they thought would be nice.

The lady also found a diamond necklace she would love to receive from her husband for Christmas.

Sales associates said it had been a very busy morning, that there were people waiting outside when they opened at 8 a.m.