Local Merchants Focus on Customers This Weekend

For local entrepreneurs like Larry Rosen of Footloose and Sandy Panuce ofAvenue Fashions the focus of  has a familiar rung. They will concentrate on their customers like they always do. 

Both Avenue Fashions and Footloose will be operate their normal hours today and Saturday. Footloose is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days while Avenue Fashions begins selling to customers at 9:30 a.m. and closes at 5:00 p.m.

“Small Business Saturday is the same as Black Friday to us,” Rosen said. “It’s a whole weekend.” He has made sure his store is well stocked with the company’s staples, boots, shoes and clothing. “We made sure we have all of our best sellers in stock.”

Rosen took care three to four weeks ago to make sure he had a solid supply of his top selling merchandise on hand for Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. “We contacted our manufacturers to make sure we were ready.”

If last year was any indication, Rosen expects a brisk business this holiday season. Though the weather forecast for the weekend is good, he expects people to stock up on snow boots. After 20 years at Northbrook Court, Rosen brought his business to Deerfield a year ago.

Footloose will start its fall sale Saturday when customers can save up to 40 percent according to Panuce.

After helping their customers on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, Panuce will be having a holiday party in the store Sunday for their customers from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The store is normally closed on Sunday.

“We want to say thank you to our customers,” Panuce said. “There will be wine, cheese, coffee and cookies.” There will also be an additional 10 percent off some items.

Avenue Fashions may be new to Deerfield—it arrived in May—but it has been in business more than 50 years according to Panuce. The store started on Chicago’s north side and was then located in Lincolnwood before coming to Deerfield.