Generating foot traffic in Cedarhurst

Central and Cedarhurst avenues, along with several side streets are expected to be packed with shoppers looking for great bargains as the Cedarhurst Business Improvement District (BID) and the village partner on holding a three-day shopping bonanza.
On Friday, Nov. 27 — Black Friday — Saturday, Nov. 28 — a Midnight Madness blowout sale from 8 p.m. to midnight — and Sunday, Nov. 29 nearly 70 stores will be open and attracting customers with sales. It is the sixth year the BID has run this event. Since 2010, American Express has promoted the Saturday following Black Friday as Small Business Saturday. It was recognized by the U.S. Senate a year later and gained support from the president, governors and mayors. In 2012, 73.9 million shopped at small businesses. Two years later, $14.3 billion was spent at such businesses.
Beginning Thursday, Nov. 26 — Thanksgiving Day — parking in all 10 village lots is free Monday through Friday until Jan. 3. The lots are always free on the weekends. Free parking does not include metered stalls or parking that requires a permit.
“Cedarhurst store owners are always extremely about the huge [foot] traffic that the Black Friday and Midnight Madness events generate,” said Teri Schure, executive director of the BID. “And that boon in traffic equates to greater sales for the restaurants and shops.” The shopping event also generates “hundreds of thousands in revenue” for the businesses involved, she added.
Schure said that the three days of shopping is also a social event and pedestrian traffic was estimated at more than 4,000 at last year’s Midnight Madness. “Other local towns, cities or villages would be hard pressed to garner anything close to that number of shoppers for a four-hour evening event.”

Miriam Chait of Goldmine Jewelers that has been Central Avenue for more than 20 years is excited to be part of the shopping madness. “It’s before the holiday season and it is a good way for wives to go out with their husbands and take them along to pick out a nice piece of jewelry,” she said. “It is a nice evening out, a convenient way to shop and we offer great prices and always great sales that weekend. We encourage everyone to stop by.”
On Cedarhurst Avenue, Miriam Dure, owner of Savvy Sheek, a women’s clothing store open for a little more than a year, will have storewide sales. “Why not keep sales local and customers local,” she said, in explaining why her store is part of the event. “It should a good boost to sales and a great event for the community.”
For 30 years Central Galleries owned by Jeff Beja has operated stores on Central Avenue and now in a much larger location on Spruce Street. “We are looking forward to being available to customers outside of normal business hours and to increase sales,” Beja said.
There will be specials for the weekend event on art for sale and custom framing. The gallery hosted an artist reception for Charles Fazzano on Nov. 14 & 15. Artwork for sale includes paintings by Woodmere native Max Ferguson.