If you’re reading this, it’s already too late – Best Buy’s best buys started last night… But don’t fret – there are still plenty of Black Friday deals worthy of leaving the house (including Best Buy which re-opens at 8 a.m.)
But first – where did all the midnight shopping madness come from?
The term Black Friday, coined in the 1960s, first represented the history of pedestrian chaos on the Friday after Thanksgiving. In the late 1980s, retailers worked to change the negative connotation to reflect businesses going from operating “in the red” (at a loss), to “in the black” (generating profit) as a direct result of shoppers spending so much on discounted items the Friday after Thanksgiving.
Since then, the day has evolved into one of the most profitable days for retailers and marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season for many. 12% more Americans are expected to shop this year, with an average spend per adult of $397.50 (roughly $87 billion nationally, which is $3 billion less than 2018).
In case you’re planning on being within the additional 12%, we’ve compiled a checklist of local shopping deals (along with a few resources to your national chain deals) so you can support our economy while saving a buck.
Local Businesses
9Round, 2153 E. County Rd. 540A
Deal: Sign up for free and receive boxing gloves, wrist wraps, and a PULSE heart rate monitor.
Bella Viságe Medical & Aesthetic Rejuvenation, 119 Traders Alley
Deal: Purchase $100 in Bella gift cards, receive $30. P.S. Bella will also donate $10 to Gospel Inc.
Badcock Home Furniture & more, 1225 N. Combee Rd. and 1409 N. Florida Ave.
Deal: Up to 50% off storewide, extra 10% off entire purchase, and more.
Black & Brew, 205 E. Main St. and 100 Lake Morton Dr.
Deal: Receive a $10 Be Our Guest card for every $50 spent on gift cards (until the end of the year). Plus, 20% off when you purchase two bags of Patriot Coffee.
Catapult Lakeland, 331 S. Florida Ave., Basement
Deal: The joining fee ($50) will be waived for all accepted applicants at Catapult 3.0.
Coliseum of Comics Lakeland, 1119 Florida Ave. S.
Deal: 30% off everything, $100 gift certificates for $90, and so much more.
Coppertree Boutique & Studio, 229 N. Kentucky Ave.
Deal: Free sterling silver earrings with a $35 purchase, plus 10% off custom holiday jewelry order.
GrillSmith Lakeland, 1569 Town Center Dr.
Deal: Receive $40 in bonus cards when you purchase $100 in gift cards.
Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grille, 101 N. Kentucky Ave.
Deal: Purchase $100 in gift cards and get a $30 free gift card.
Jesse Carl Vinyl, 304 N. Kentucky Ave.
Deal: Exclusive releases + reissues, deep discounts, and a storewide sale.
Scout & Tag, 244 N. Kentucky Ave.
Deal: Free holiday dish with the purchase of $50. P.S. Remember to come back for Small Business Saturday (Nov. 30) for free goodies with various purchases, including a Holiday Cranberry Mule to sip on while you shop.
The Balance Culture, 1035 Florida Ave. S. #200
Deal: 10% off merchandise, $25 gift card for $20, $50 gift card for $40, and $100 gift card for $80.
Twenty Seven, 213 E. Bay St.
Deal: Cards and prints are buy two, get one free in-store.
Urban Air Lakeland, 3800 U.S. Hwy 98 N.
Deal: Get a $100 gift card for only $50. P.S. This is an online sale only.
And as an added bonus, you can participate in Museum Store Sunday on Dec. 1.
Polk Museum of Art, 800 E. Palmetto St.
Deal: 25% off your purchase; the first shopper will receive a free Polk Museum of Art Advocate Membership, the next four will receive a free Polk Museum of Art Family Membership, and the first 20 shoppers will receive a mystery gift bag.
Be sure to keep an eye on your favorite local business’s social media platforms – that’s where they’ll likely share deals + specials they may be having for Black Friday.
Events
Holly Jolly Jingle Bell Jog
Deal: Receive $10 off with promo code JOLLY for the Holly Jolly Jingle Bell Jog.
Lkld Food Tours
Deal: Buy a $50 gift card and get $10 free or buy a $100 gift card and get $20 free.
Rotary Twilight 5K Run
Deal: 33% discount on student + adult registration fees for the run, happening Feb. 7, 2020.
Larger Chains
There are lots of great deals from larger chains this year too.
- Best early Black Friday 2019 deals available today: $199 PS or Xbox, AirPods Pro discounts and more (CNET)
- 2019’s Best Places to Shop on Black Friday (WalletHub)
- Thanksgiving and Black Friday store hours: Here’s when major retailers are open for deals (USA Today)
Poll
