If you find yourself off-Island this Friday, November 25, you might find numerous stores offering deep discounts the earlier you visit. Black Friday marks the start of the holiday shopping season and many people might assume that since the Island has no big chain stores on the Island, we lack discount benefits.
However, many of our wonderful Island stores have set out to prove that they too can celebrate the opening of the holiday shopping season with some great bargains of their own.
Rainy Day, the unique gift shop on Main Street in Vineyard Haven, is hosting their 7th Annual Black Friday Shopping Event beginning with some great door-busters from 7:30 to 9:30 am. If you are lucky enough, or possibly motivated enough, to be one of the first 25 in line when they open at 7:30 am, you will receive a special gift bag, and if you are number 1, 2, or 3 in line look for a substantial special gift! Kids are not forgotten: all kids present will get their own personal grab bag. Everyone who walks through the door before 9:30 am will receive a coupon good for between 25 to 50 percent off your entire purchase all day till they close at 7 pm.
So don’t sleep in. In fact, don’t even bother to stop for coffee first: they will have light refreshments for you, including hot coffee. Special items this year include fingerless gloves and Sock Monkey Hats with side tassels. The Thymes Frasier Fir home fragrance line has been expanded this year, and Salted Caramels are in with six new flavors including espresso. Also not to be missed is this year’s hottest trend, Mercury Glass ornaments.
CB Stark Jewelers is also embracing Black Friday with a 10 to 50 percent off storewide Friday through Sunday. If you can drag yourself out into the brisk morning air early, you could take advantage of their door buster discount of an additional 10 to 30 percent off from 7:30 to 9:30 am. What a great opportunity to get a jump start on your holiday shopping and become this year’s favorite gift giver with special items from their Vineyard Charm Bead line or a piece from their new Vineyard Gingerbread Collection.
Crane Appliance, on State Road in Vineyard Haven, started their Black Friday Celebration early, with their kick-off last week. Their big appliance and electronics sale includes great deals on TVs with built-in WiFi or HD 3D along with a $49 microwave that might be a perfect gift for the college freshman. They will be open this Friday from 9:15 am to 4:30 pm.
Vineyard Decorators, located at the Airport at the heart of the Island, is hosting a big Black Friday Sale on Friday from 9:30 am to 5pm. This large home furnishings store offers the Island’s biggest display of furniture showrooms, with selections ranging from outdoor furniture by Kingsley Bate to upholstered furniture by Vanguard, along with window treatments by such greats as Hunter Douglas. All weekend they will be offering 10 to 50 percent off storewide, 20 to 40 percent off outdoor furniture and in their Sleep Loft you will find an unheard-of 10 to 40 percent off mattress sale. The Sleep Loft not only has mattresses by Englander and Serta, but they have all the accessories you need for your bed and bath including the luxury line of Peacock Alley. And, they will be giving out free box springs with the purchase of selected mattresses.
Keep in mind that many of our special Island stores will be open this Friday, some even earlier than usual, with most of them hosting fantastic sales to help you get your jump-start on the holiday shopping season.
If perusing art and handmade gifts is your preference, you are in luck! This weekend you have two big Artisan festivals to choose from. Even better, your off-Island visitors will get the special opportunity to see some of your favorite artisans in person. The Vineyard Artisans are hosting their 15th Annual Thanksgiving Day Festival at the Agricultural Hall in West Tisbury on Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. This Holiday Art Show is the largest on the Island, with over 85 artisans sharing their holiday best with such items as jewelry, book arts, ornaments, fiber arts and much more.
And over in Oak Bluffs Featherstone Center for the Arts on Barnes Road is hosting its 9th Annual Holiday Gift Show, which offers artistic gifts priced from $5 to $250 and all made by dozens of island artisans. This show is open daily from 12 to 4 pm through December 18.
For those families looking for activities and nature crafts, a visit to the Fall Festival at Felix Neck Sanctuary in Edgartown might be in order. Here you will be able to enjoy live bird demonstrations, hay rides, face painting and enjoy music by the Flying Elbows. The Festival is from 11 am to 3 pm on Friday, Nov. 25.
