Black Friday comes to Downtown Oakville
Local businesses in Downtown Oakville treated the community to extended shopping hours on Friday, November 24, from 9a.m. until 8p.m. for the annual Black Friday shopping event.
The Downtown Oakville Business Improvement Area (BIA) hosted the event which included shopping deals up to 50% off select items in participating stores.
Locals were provided with free Oakville Transit shuttles that stopped between 228 Chartwell Road and Downtown Oakville Towne Square all day long.
Brittany McDonell, who has been an employee at the local BOA Boutique for two-and-a-half years, says bringing Black Friday to Downtown Oakville has benefit local businesses.
“We really saw a difference between this year and last year in the amount of people that came out. We definitely had better sales within the first hour of opening because we offer an extra 10% off of our products.”
McDonell says that having a Black Friday event has helped target a wider variety of shoppers to come to the Downtown area.
“The BIA has come into our store a few times trying to come up with ways to get students to come down here. I think a lot of people don’t shop down here because they are a little iffy about the price of things. So any day where we can do the big sales is going to draw in customers, especially people from Sheridan.”
Amir Attaei, an Oakville resident, says that he comes to Downtown Oakville to participate in Black Friday shopping because it’s more convenient than outlet malls.
“I don’t like the hassle that comes with shopping at busy malls, and Downtown Oakville is close to where I live. It’s also quiet compared to other shopping centres and offers the brands that I like at a discounted price”.
Attaei has attended other events hosted in Downtown Oakville and says that the Black Friday event is much quieter.
“It wasn’t as busy as I had anticipated, but I think that’s because of the weather. At Midnight Madness there were a lot more things going on outside that attracted people to the event. It is hard to accommodate shopping outdoors for a lot of people,” says Attaei.
Attaei enjoys the atmosphere of the Downtown Oakville area. It is what continuously draws him into visiting.
“I think that we are fortunate to have an area like this in Oakville. For me at least, the weather will never stop me from coming out and enjoying what Downtown Oakville has to offer. I will be attending the next Black Friday event for sure.”