Some Avoid the Malls on Black Friday, Others Avoid Ridgewood

Some avoided the mall and others avoided Ridgewood, according to shoppers and merchants on Black Friday. The rest of the shoppers stopped by both the blacktop box stores and the mom-and-pop spots on the biggest shopping day of the year.

"In this age of commercialization, you have a downtown with so many great stores in your back yard, it makes a lot of sense to shop local, support local merchants and let Ridgewood be Ridgewood," said Ryan Peene.

Though a center of commerce in Bergen County, Peene – joined by Melissa Miller – said it's occasionally taken for granted. "Now's the time with the holidays coming up to take advantage of it," he said at the before the big foray into Ridgewood's downtown.

Miller reported after an unsuccessful stop at the Garden State Plaza earlier Friday morning, she'd be browsing the Central Business District for a pair of shoes at .

Like Miller, the teen trio of Jackie Padovano, Christina Frio and Tara Angelelo had been to the mall earlier in the day and saw the chaos of wall-to-wall shopping at the mall.

"It's a lot more calm here," Padovano smiled.

Unfortunately for most merchants, Black Friday is "a mall day" and it's not something the village can really compete with, no matter how steep the discounts.

"I'm not shopping in Ridgewood," said Jake Haver, of Ridgewood. "There's nothing in Ridgewood for me to shop for. If there was more variety, I'd consider it. I like helping out local businesses. But it's women's clothing, a couple jewelry shops, a lot of food too."

Instead, Haver went to JC Penny's, Apple, Macy's at the Garden State Plaza and finished shopping by 7 a.m. "It was a mad house. A lot of lines, especially at Best Buy. It was out the door," Haver said. But, he said, he got what he wanted.

"We try just about everything," remarked owner Tony Damiano. "It is a 'mall day' and you just can't compete with the Macy's of the world. Typically, it's not a strong day for me."

The gift store owner – and head of The Ridgewood Guild – said Wednesday is a much stronger sale day, as is "Small Business Saturday."

If Ridgewood were to try and go toe-to-toe with the malls for the Black Friday melee, Damiano says it would take a "real joint effort."

"I'll be honest with you, it's hard to give out a discount at this time of year and that's the only thing that will do it. It's kind of hard for the little guy."

owner Anna Anagnos had similar sentiments. "It is what it is," Anagnos shrugged.

To overcome the challenge of competing with a much larger rival box store, she changes the approach. "I'm just trying to be here for the customers that support us," she said. "I'm personalized."

There are no strict return policies on the high-end children's clothing and Anagnos says she makes every effort to befriend the customers.

Malaika Sajnani, owner of on lower East Ridgewood Avenue, said she can't rely on huge returns on Black Friday. "It's about average," she said of the sales.

To beef up revenue, Sajnani has been pushing a buy one, get 50 percent off the second item sale.

Other clothing retail stores appeared to be doing well Friday. and had a lot of shoppers and expected a good day overall.

"It's a beautiful day and people are shopping," according to Savvy Chic owner Randi Morein. "People go to the malls early and spend the rest of the day shopping here."