Just another Friday to some of Savannah's holiday shoppers

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Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News

Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News

Less fanfare is what Black Friday shoppers said they experienced as they showed up early Friday morning to shop in the cold and drizzling weather. For some, it was their first Black Friday since the pandemic. For those who had ventured out of their houses to shop in-person last year, they said they were surprised by the few long lines, lackluster deals and the relatively calm shopping experience.

Chatham County resident Chelsea Shearouse remembers waiting in long lines for Black Friday 2020; she said this year looks a lot different.

"This is dead compared to last year," Chelsea Shearouse said.

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Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News

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Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News

The effects of the pandemic continue to linger as more and more shoppers opt out of beating the crowd by lining up between the hours of 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. to instead conveniently shop online.

"I think that everyone's still on online shopping right now," Cassie Sikes said at 6:15 a.m. as she stood outside of Bath & Body Works at the Tanger Outlets Savannah, one of the few stores that had a line wrapped around the building. "They can sit at home and just do their thing. I think that's because that's what we learned last year. We can do everything at home."

The day after Thanksgiving usually marks the start of Christmas shopping. People are looking for deals on gifts, eager to find the perfect item for family members and friends. But retailers have had to contend with a global supply shortage during the holiday season that is now slowly easing.

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Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News

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Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News

Ed McCarthy, COO for the Georgia Ports Authority, reported on Tuesday that they saw a 10% to 12% decrease in the number of imported containers coming from around the world and a 23% decrease for the amount of time containers are on terminal.

"The reason why this is important is that the logjam was starting at distribution centers because [there was] not enough space at major retailers to take more cargo ... when we see the drop in time of cargo on terminal that means distribution is freeing up and the product will get to customers faster," said Robert Morris, GPA chief communications officer.

LaDonna Shamlou, general manager of Tanger Outlets Savannah, predicted on Tuesday that supply chain concerns would drive shoppers to the stores early.

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Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News

"We know shoppers. We expect them to be out early shopping and starting to make sure they're getting all the merchandise that they want with all the news about shipping problems, but I don't think we'll have any of those here," Shamlou said. "I do think it's going to push shoppers out earlier to shop in our centers."

All wasn't quiet at every store. Stores such as Palmetto Moon and The Nike Store had customers waiting in long lines before the shops opened at 6 a.m. At the Walmart on Pooler Parkway, more than 500 people were lined up when the store opened at 5 a.m. Pooler resident Leslie Clifton Shinn was out shopping early this morning and said Target and Kohls were "pretty easy, but Kohls was a ghost town."

Black Friday has a reputation for being an "every man for himself" holiday. With big deals on everything from sleek, new technology to the latest sneakers, the retail bonanza usually brings out a large amount of shoppers leading to long lines, frustration and joy. Those feelings are exactly what persuaded some shoppers outside for Black Friday.

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Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News

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Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News

"You miss the crazy," Kristen Maemanche said.

"I usually like to see the crazy, I'm not going to lie. It's usually very entertaining to watch," Shearouse agreed.

Black Friday isn't only a lucrative time for major retailers, but for small businesses as well. 912 Black Business Matters, a group created to positively promote Black businesses in Savannah and outlying areas, hosted a Black Friday pop up across from Black-owned business Geechie Rootz. There were 23 Black-owned businesses attending the pop-up and selling everything from custom purses, candles and kente-print bonnets.

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Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News

"It's awesome to get small businesses the opportunity to be exposed in this manner," said Beth Jones, creator of 912 Black Business Matters. "They do have online presence, but not nearly as big as Amazon or Walmart. Our motto is 'don't just spend your money, send your money.' So if you send your dollars back into our community, we strengthen our community. So that's the point."

Laura Nwogu is the quality of life reporter for Savannah Morning News. Contact her at lnwogu@gannett.com. Twitter: @lauranwogu_

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Just another Friday to some of Savannah's holiday shoppers