ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – Delta County residents got a head start on holiday shopping during Black Friday on Tuesday.

“This is the day that kicks off the holiday shopping season for not only our store but all the other local businesses in Downtown Escanaba,” said Heidi Haeusler, who owns Mr. Bike and Ski with her husband, Adam.

More than 20 downtown shops launched their Black Friday sales a few days early. Mr. Bike and Ski offered discounts on almost everything, including new winter gear.

“We have 30% off all adult snowboard boots, bindings, and decks, we have $350 youth snowboard packages, and we have 15% off snowshoes,” Heidi said. “We’re also down to less than 40 bikes, so everything we have in stock is 10% off.”

Having participated in Black Friday on Tuesday for the last few years, the Haeuslers say customers may not realize how helpful it is for small businesses.

“It’s so important for people to get out and shop small businesses during this time because in the world we live in today, competition is stiff–online retailers, big box retailers, the Cyber Monday deals,” said Heidi.

“It brings people in on a night that we’re open later but at the same time, it exposes all the businesses downtown to a larger group of people,” Adam added. “It helps show the product offering and the diversity of businesses that are in our downtown that some people might not necessarily know about.”

Last year, crystal and metaphysical shop Gempathix opened just a few months before Black Friday on Tuesday. Owner Sonja Jensen says the event resulted in a major sales boost.

“We had a lot of people come in and experience the store for the first time,” she said. “It was a very beneficial thing for us and it got us out in the neighborhood, basically.”

For Black Friday on Tuesday, Gempathix marked down items like tapestries, pendulums, spheres, towers, and custom gift boxes. While it is an opportunity to showcase those and other items, Jensen says the day also makes holiday shopping a bit easier for customers.

“It brings them in and they don’t have to deal with the rush on Black Friday itself,” said Jensen. “That way, it leaves it open for them to go elsewhere.”

“And you get to see a little more of the community that we have here in Esky,” said store photographer Mikayla Hemes.

Store owners say shopping small throughout the holiday season can have a huge impact on local businesses.

“Shopping locally this year really helps benefit a lot of the small businesses,” Jensen said. “It’s not been the greatest since COVID and everything, so we’re just building back up.”

“This is actually our busiest month of the year, and we look forward to it all year,” said Heidi. “It’s really exciting because people are coming downtown, there’s the Christmas tree lighting, all these businesses are open later than they usually are. It’s a really great time for everybody.”

For more information on the stores in this article, visit the Mr. Bike and Ski Facebook page or the Gempathix, LLC Facebook page.