Beaufort businesses prep for big shopping days

BEAUFORT, SC (WTOC) - As millions of stores across the country prepare for Black Friday, many shops in Beaufort County anticipate Small Business Saturday to be their biggest sale day.

The Chambers of Beaufort County are passing out posters encouraging everyone to shop and dine locally this holiday season.

Bay Street was busy with cars Wednesday as people tried to get an early start on their Christmas shopping.

The Monkey's Uncle, a new toy store in downtown Beaufort, offers toys for the young and the old.

"We have Etch-A-Sketch, we have Rubix Cubes, we have Whoopee Cushions, those kinds of things," said Joe O'Brien, owner of Monkey's Uncle.

Monkey's Uncle opened in July and business was robust on Wednesday.

"Business has been steady since we opened but October and now well into November, things have been steadily increasing so we've been pleased," he said.

This will be the first holiday shopping season for the O'Briens. Across the street, Modern Jewelers owner Kevin Cuppia is all too familiar with this time of the year. He's been managing the business for 32 years.

"Black Friday usually kicks off at the shopping centers and malls but they come downtown for lunch and spend the afternoon shopping on Bay Street," said Cuppia, co-owner of Modern Jewelers.

Both Monkey's Uncle and Modern Jewelers are among the stores who will be offering discounts and raffles this holiday weekend. Business owners and chamber leaders said they hope consumers will remember to shop and dine locally especially for Small Business Saturday.

"Our small businesses are the backbone of our community. The added advantage of shopping local is that you're going to get some specialty gift ideas and other things that you simply can't find anywhere else," said Jaime Dailey Vergara, of the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Most of the stores in downtown Beaufort including Monkey's Uncle and Modern Jewelers will open at their normal time 10 a.m. on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday.

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