Black Fridays are starting to resemble Black Thursdays more and more, and that holds true in the Camellia City this year.  At least, it does for Walmart’s Greenville location.

Greenville site manager James Packer said that the shift backwards to Thanksgiving night is a way for the store to maintain its edge over would-be competitors.

“The majority of our sales probably come out of electronics and toys, so if Toys-R-Us or Best Buy has a sale before us, then we get the leftovers,” Packer said with a laugh.

“You’ve got to have a competitive edge, so when they started backing their sale up from Friday morning at 5 p.m. to midnight or even 11 p.m. or 10 p.m. Thursday, we just went ahead and backed ours up to 6 p.m.  I see a wave of changes—I see competitors closing on Thanksgiving Day, so you never know. We may start backing up and get back on Friday.  But you have to have a good sale with good quality items, and then you have to be the first off the block, or you’re missing the boat.”

A laundry list of TVs highlights Walmart’s electronic sales, including a 60-inch Vizio set for $398 and a 40-inch Emerson model for an all-time low $125.

But the biggest highlight of all is a 55-inch 4KTV for just $298.  With 4K resolution televisions—which double the current standard of 1080p resolutions—finally entering into the realm of affordability, Packer said that the company is looking to take advantage of the change.

“That’s going to be a huge item for us.  Last year, it was $798, so we dropped ours $500 in one year,” he said.

“This year, we’re actually going heavily after the TV business as a company.  From the ads I’ve seen from Target and Best Buy, I don’t think anyone is touching our sales.  We are the low-price leader by far.  Now we’ve just got to get them in and get them out.”

The Black Friday deals extend to local businesses, as well. 

Downtown Greenville’s newest store, True South Outfitters, will be open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Friday.

Owner Chae Brown said that customers can expect a fun-filled shopping experience with various discounts throughout the day.

“We will offer a discount ranging from 10 to 40 percent off for the first 25 customers Friday morning,” Brown said.

“It will be a ‘luck of the draw’ discount for the 25 customers and then various sales throughout the day.”

Brown said the store will also recognize Small Business Saturday by offering various types of customers appreciation sales from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26.

The Pineapple will also be open during normal business hours on Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Store manager Katrina Scofield said that when customers spend $25 at The Pineapple on Friday, they will receive a free Christmas tote (while supplies last).

“We certainly invite everyone to visit downtown on Friday,” Scofield said.

In addition, all Thanksgiving items will be on sale for half price.

Regardless of where Camellia City residents choose to shop, Packer hopes that shoppers can remain safe during the holiday season through the use of a few common-sense tips.

“Safety first is my first priority, from being aware of what they’re doing in the parking lot all the way to their house,” Packer said. “I do want you to purchase something, but the most important thing is that I want you to be safe while doing it.

I’m more concerned about knowing your surroundings, especially in the parking lot. “When you go home after you’ve bought a 55-inch TV, don’t just leave the box on the side of the road until trash day, letting everybody know that you’ve got a 55-inch TV in your house.  And it’s going to be dark at 6 p.m. so walk in with a group and leave with a group.”