McKinney Celebrates "Small Buisness Saturday"

Catherine Ross, NBC 5 Collin County Reporter

In advance of "Small Business Saturday", mom and pop retailers in McKinney's historic downtown square a feeling a big boost from the city's traditional "Dickens of a Christmas" festival.

McKinney Celebrates "Small...

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For retailers in McKinney's Historic Square, the 32^nd annual "Dickens of a Christmas" festival is an early start to Small Business Saturday.

"It's automatic traffic for us - it's automatic sales," said Kendi Skeen, owner of boutique Bloom. "It wouldn't be this busy on a Friday afternoon if it weren't for Dickens."

Around the corner, Stephanie Farrar, who's been in business in the square for two years as "The Canine Cookie Company", agreed.

"It is probably the biggest festival for the year for us, so we really do depend on it," she said.

Both businesses will be participating in Small Business Saturday, a relatively new promotion nationwide to remind shoppers to spend money locally after Black Friday, when much of the holiday budget goes to "big box" chain stores.

"It gets people out shopping locally, which is great for the economy, because we all hire local people to help us," said Ferrar, who noted on Friday, the foot traffic in and out of her store was "probably at ten times our usual volume".

"For us, it's huge," said Skeen. "The traffic counts so much more."

The Small Business Saturday effort started in 2010 and quickly spread.

According to survey cited by American Express, which promotes the motto "Shop Small", more than 100 million people spent money locally on Small Business Saturday last year.

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Walmart Workers Protest on Black Friday

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Walmart workers and their supporters staged Black Friday demonstrations at five North Texas stores.

The workers claim pay and benefits are too low and employees who complain suffer retaliation.

They traveled between stores by bus over a period of several hours Friday morning.

"We're striking to stop the retaliation that Walmart gives associates. We want to get respect from the company," employee Jose Mata said.

Two bus-loads met at the Lancaster Walmart on I-35E at Belt Line Road to bring together a gathering of around two-dozen protestors.

"Things were really good when Sam Walton was alive, but since his passing, Walmart has fallen so far and we want to change that," employee Billy Lyons said.

An SMU Theology professor led the group in prayer and then a handful of workers delivered a letter of grievances to several Walmart managers who were watching in the parking lot.

Faced with a heavy show of police presence, the demonstrators turned and left and did not try to enter the store.

The workers were told there would be no retaliation for their protest if they showed up for their regular work shifts.

"These are the working poor. These are people who don't have any other support, who don't get the benefits, who nobody really pays attention to," said Professor Joerg Rieger with the SMU Perkins School of Theology.

Group supporter Leslie Harris said people who shop at Walmart should demand better treatment for workers. 

"I also think the Walton family could share more. They have obscene wealth as compared to their employees," she said.

The demonstrations were planned to be walk-outs of employees sponsored by a group called "Organization United for Respect" or "OUR Walmart."

The United Food and Commercial Workers union claimed on its website that 1000 demonstrations were planned in 100 cities and 46 states.

Prepared statements from Walmart Headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas did not address specific complains from the workers but did say the UFCW claims were grossly exaggerated.

The company said no more than 50 employees participated in the demonstrations nationwide and the number of employees missing a scheduled shift was no more than last year.

The statement from David Tovar, Vice President of Corporate Communications also said:
"It was proven last night – and again today – that the OUR Walmart group doesn't speak for the 1.3 million Walmart associates. We had our best Black Friday ever and OUR Walmart was unable to recruit more than a small number of associates to participate in these made for TV events. Press reports are now exposing what we have said all along – the large majority of protesters aren't even Walmart workers."

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Gas Rationing in NYC to End Saturday

AP

FILE - In this Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012, file photo, gas station attendant Youssouf Soukouna, 42, pumps gas into a vehicle at a LukOil station in Newark, N.J.

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The first day of the holiday shopping season will be the last full day of post-Superstorm Sandy gasoline rationing in New York City.

The odd-even license plate system is set to end at 6 a.m. Saturday. Mayor Michael Bloomberg issued a news release Friday confirming the restriction would expire.

He says more than 85 percent of gas stations in the city are now running, compared with 25 percent two weeks ago.

Under the rationing rules, any given car could be gassed up every other day.

The system went into effect in the city Nov. 9, after damage to gas stations and fuel distribution networks led to hourslong lines and fuel shortages.

Similar rationing has ended in New Jersey and on Long Island.

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Black Friday Means Football in Mesquite

Tammy Mutasa, NBC 5 Mesquite Reporter

While some people are out spending money, hundreds and thousands of people are watching high school football playoffs.

Mesquite Hosts Several Playoff Games

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On this Black Friday, not everyone is at the mall shopping.

In Mesquite, hundreds of people are sure spending money for several big high school football games, including the Poteet High School and Dallas Lincoln game.

If there's two things North Texans love, it's football and family.

"Football is everything," said Poteet supporter Melissa Shields. "It promotes character in our boys and we wouldn't have it any other way."

The City of Mesquite is hosting several playoff games this season, and while some are spending money on the biggest shopping day of the year, others are leaving it in Mesquite.

Business owner James Donahoe says playoffs mean a payoff.

"It really boosts our business back at Cici's, we'll have huge turnover from all the athletes that will show up and the teams show up by the hundreds and it turns out to be a great profitable day for us," said Donahoe.

At Memorial Stadium, two matches kicked off Friday, including Poteet High School and Lincoln High School. The stadium has a seating capacity of more than 20,000 people.

For Poteet, making it to the playoffs is a big score, since they didn't make it last year and principal Karyn Cummings said in the 2008 and 2009 season, the team only won two games

"It's amazing what that does for the climate of the school and students do better in school, in their classes and they're behavior is better all the way around when there's a winning athletic program," said Cummings.

Dallas Lincoln is coming from a near perfect football season.

"It means everything," said Lincoln Supporter Ricky Williams. "It's a family tradition."

Win or lose, families and fans have undying support, while enjoying another fall Texas tradition.

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Goodwill Stores Hold Black Friday Sales

Andres Gutierrez, NBC 5 News

Some bargain hunters are turning to Goodwill for Black Friday deals.

Black Friday Shoppers Land Deals...

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Like so many shoppers this holiday season, Amanda Nutter is always looking for a deal -- even if it's dealing with the long lines and Black Friday chaos at the big-box stores.

After the morning madness Nutter visited GW Boutique, one of the high-end Goodwill stores.

"There were people killing each other the last cabbage patch kid or the Barbie doll and this is so much more calm," Nutter said.

Nineteen Goodwill stores across the Metroplex held their own Black Friday sale with all items at the stores available for 50-percent off.

"We're a retailer just like everybody else, we offer already great prices, but we thought that this could be another way to offer for better prices," Kristen Bostick, a Goodwill spokesperson said.

Stephanie Sisk, a cashier who's been busy behind the register, says customers appreciate the bargain.

"Half of them didn't even know about it," Sisk said.

The revenue generated will provide funding for job training and placement programs for people with disabilities or who are unemployed. 

"It's just something that were just joining in on the Black Friday craze, it something else we can give back to the community," Bostick said.

This is Goodwill's second year to host the sale and the company has plans to do the same next year.

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No Sleep, No Problem for Black Friday Shoppers

Mark Schnyder, NBC 5 News

Who needs sleep when you can practically hear the sales calling from your nearby shopping mall?

No Sleep, No Problem for Black...

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Early Bird Shoppers Claim Black Friday Deals

Those up early enough for the start of Black Friday sales -- some as early as Midnight -- say they snagged deals during their early morning shopping.

Black Friday Begins in DFW

At the same shopping center in North Dallas, Toys R Us shoppers start their Black Friday spending at 8pm on Thanksgiving while Best Buy customers must wait.

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Who needs sleep when you can practically hear the sales calling from your nearby shopping mall?

That's the question tens of thousands of North Texas Black Friday shoppers are asking themselves, with the resounding answer of "Not me!"

"I mean, I ain't got nothing else to do.  I got four children and they said, 'Mom, it's the Black Friday.'  Mom is here!" said Tish Alexander of Fort Worth, who spent all night at the North East Mall in Hurst.

The North East Mall, like many other stores and shopping centers in the Metroplex, opened its doors at midnight.  And like a retail "Field of Dreams" --  if you open it, shoppers will come.

"The mall's not the first stop," said Gerald Jordan of Colleyville, his two kids in tow.  "[We] started with breakfast and it's progressively... we went from the mall to Kohl's to a lot of places."

Bargain hunting is the primary reason people told NBC 5 they came out in the middle of the night.

"Scarf, pants, sweater - everything, the entire outfit, for under $35!" one shopper exclaimed.  She, like so many others, has turned the overnight ritual into a holiday tradition -- zipping from store to store with friends and shopping bags in tow.

Over at the Galleria in Dallas, crowds were picking up Friday evening, looking even busier than Friday afternoon. Three of the parking garages were at capacity with the rest of the spaces at 95-percent capacity around 5 p.m.

The constant flow of people coming in and out are helping customers find places to park.

People took advantage of items discounted 60 to 70-percent off in some stores.  Many retailers are also offering gift cards for customers who spend a certain amount in their stores.

Customers that spoke with NBC 5 said they're pretty happy with the bargains.

"A lot of great deals," says shopper Sean Jones of Dallas.  "I'm probably spending a little less per item (than last year) but maybe spending near the same amount because I'm buying more."

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Retailers Ready for "Small Business Saturday"

Amanda Guerra, NBC 5 News

Small business owners are hoping you don t forget the little guy this weekend.

DFW Small Businesses Hope You'll...

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Small business owners are hoping you don't forget the little guy this weekend.

After shoppers flock to the mall and large retail chains on Black Friday, many are hoping customers participate in "Small Business Saturday."

"In order to compete with the big boys," said Suzanne Roberts, who owns her own store, Suzanne Roberts Inc., in Snider Plaza in University Park.

Roberts said she can't offer the big discounts like major stores, but to lure customers into the store, she is offering something.

"Our special is nothing like theirs. At 20% off, that's a big special for us," Roberts said.

Vickie Brown, who owns Love Tennis, also in Snider Plaza, is doing the same thing.

"Right now, we are having a sale. We moved it up just about three weeks. We usually do it just before Christmas, but we thought for Small Business Saturday we were going to offer 75-percent off of past seasons of Stella McCartney and Adidas is 30-percent off," Brown said.

Both women said it's important for shoppers to remember small businesses in order to support the local economy.

They also point out customers won't have to deal with the hassle of long lines and crowded aisles.

"It's so intimate with the customer and we have our clientele base where we get to know the customers one-on-one. So it's not just a come in and shop. We really get to know you," Brown said.

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Lighting Up Sundance Square

Omar Villafranca, NBC 5 News

Sundance Square brightens up for the holidays with the Parade of Lights.

Lighting Up Sundance Square

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Fort Worth Displays Its Parade of Lights

Thousands prepare to turn the lights on in Downtown Fort Worth.

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Sundance Square has the Christmas Spirit.

On Friday, Sundance Square hosted the Fort Worth Parade of Lights. Thousands of people crowded the streets to get a look at more than 100 floats decorated with lights.

But the big draw was a big tree. Santa Claus came into town to help light up a 55-foot blue spruce tree from Michigan decorated with ornaments.

Based on reaction from kids in the crowd, the event was a hit.

"We get to see the tree light up, and we get to see, we get to see Santa!" said an excited Kaila Delane of Irving. "It's my first time, but I kind of like it. It's like New York."

Hundreds of people waited in line to pose for a picture with Santa and the tree. Pictures are $7 and benefit charity.

For more information on parking and pictures, click here.

Want to see more local lights? Click here to find holiday lighting displays around North Texas.

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Mass. Gas Explosion Injures 18, Levels Strip Club

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A natural gas explosion in one of New England's biggest cities on Friday destroyed a building, one housing a strip club, and damaged others beyond repair but didn't kill anyone, authorities said.

"This is a miracle on Worthington Street that no one was killed," Lt. Gov. Tim Murray said at a press conference.

Firefighters, police officers and gas company workers in the area because of an earlier gas leak were among more than a dozen injured people, authorities said.

The explosion in a downtown area of Springfield, 90 miles west of Boston, blew out all windows in a three-block radius, leaving three more buildings irreparably damaged and prompting emergency workers to evacuate a six-story apartment building that was buckling.

Police Sgt. John Delaney marveled at the destruction at the blast's epicenter, where a multistory building was leveled.

"It looks like there was a missile strike here," he said.

Officials at two nearby hospitals said a total of 18 victims were transported with injuries but none was critical.

Firefighters responded to the scene at 4:20 p.m. and were investigating the gas leak when the blast happened shortly after 5 p.m. The cause of the explosion hadn't been identified but was under investigation, they said.

Springfield, which has about 150,000 residents, is the largest city in western Massachusetts. It's known as the home of the Basketball Hall of Fame, which is not in the vicinity of the blast.

The explosion, in an area of downtown Springfield with commercial properties and residences, destroyed a building that housed a Scores Gentlemen's Club.

Area resident Wayne Davis said he felt his apartment building shake a block away.

"I was laying down in bed, and I started feeling the building shaking and creaking," he said.

The Navy veteran said the boom from the explosion was louder than anything he'd ever heard, including the sound of a jet landing on an aircraft carrier.

The blast was so loud it was heard for miles around. Video from WWLP-TV showed the moment of the explosion, with smoke billowing into the air above the neighborhood.

 

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