South Whitehall Retailers Try To Keep Shoppers Local

is the biggest shopping day of the year, when retailers hope to erase the red ink from their books and get “in the black.”

It’s also a day when tempers flare as shoppers face traffic jams, jockey for parking spaces in mall lots and vie to possess the most sought-out items of the holiday season.

But if retailers have their way, holiday shopping doesn’t have to be a big-mall hassle. To keep shoppers in the township on the Friday after Thanksgiving -- and through the holiday season -- some are extending hours, offering sales and participating in small business promotions.

South Whitehall has several shopping areas, along the Hamilton Boulevard, Tilghman Street and Cedar Crest corridors, and stores and retailers elsewhere.

Here’s a rundown of what to find, and where:    

* The Hamilton Boulevard Corridor:

A chic outfit to wear to all those holiday outings, a sparkly bauble to accessorize it with, and toys and togs for the youngsters can be found in stores that line Hamilton Boulevard, from Cedar Crest Boulevard to just west of Lincoln Avenue.

There is , as well as The Shops at 3900 Hamiton Center, with stores such as , , and . The offers restaurants and salons, where you can pick up gift certificates or take a break from shopping.

Kelly Kulp, manager of Charles Paul Gem Designs, said the store is holding a holiday sale through mid-December.

Lynn Henry, of Milk and Honey Kids, said the store is offering “buy one, get one at 50 percent off” Playmobil and other toys, until Nov. 28. The store also carries kids’ clothes in sizes 2T to 16. Along with other South Whitehall businesses, the store is participating in “Small Business Saturday,” a program developed by American Express to call attention to small businesses. In it, customers making a purchase of $50 or more on Saturday, Nov. 26, will receive $25 credit on their Amex account. Extended holiday hours begin after Black Friday weekend.

The Shops at 3900 Hamilton Center are having a Holiday Open House on Thursday, Dec. 8, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., with food, refreshments and discounts at some retailers.

* Tilghman Square Shopping Center

Head over to the Tilghman Square Shopping Center to search for an antique or unique handcrafted item to complete your home décor at , pick up a hand or power tool for Dad at Harbor Freight Tools, which markets itself as “America’s leading discount tool store”; purchase a gift certificate and treat Mom to a spa treatment at Allure, or get a stocking stuffer for the whole family, namely gift certificates for movies at .

* Kmart Plaza

Across Tilghman Street,  is looking to entice shoppers wanting to get a head start on Black Friday by opening the store from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday -- that’s right, Thanksgiving Day -- according to manager Cindy Kirby.

The chain’s sales -- and there are a lot -- can be viewed at www.theblackfriday.com/kmart. The store will open at 5 a.m. on Black Friday, for those who can wait.

Leaving Kmart and heading east on Tilghman Street, a stop at is a must if shoppers ---or someone on their Christmas list -- has a sweet tooth and can’t pass up quality confections.

The candy maker offers an extensive array of candies, and is promoting its “Free Ship Josh Early Chocolate Gifts,” four different gift boxes featuring an assortment of chocolates, including what manager Barry Dobil calls one of its most popular items -- sea salt caramels (named one of the season’s Top Gifts in the December issue of “Good Housekeeping” magazine).   

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Continuing east to Cedar Crest Boulevard and Tilghman Street, Village West Shopping Center offers stores that include C. Leslie Smith Silversmith Shop, for those in the market for handcrafted, custom-designed silver and gold jewelry, watches and gifts.

Owner Charlie Smith says that Black Friday is “more of a ‘big box’ store day,” but the store will have extended hours into the holiday season. He said the store is also participating in the American Express “Small Business Saturday” promotion. 

Across Tilghman Street, manager Trell Dikeman of  said the store will be open regular hours, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., on Black Friday, when it kicks off the store’s holiday sales. She said the store will offer “really specially priced items with much larger discounts” on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 26.

* Crest Plaza Shopping Center

Heading north on Cedar Crest Boulevard brings you to Crest Plaza Shopping Center, home to , which will open its doors at midnight Thursday and remain open until 11 p.m. Friday.

Store manager Lee Boland says he’s expecting lines to begin forming at 10 p.m. Thursday for what he calls “great doorbuster items, some different from last year, some the same.”

He adds he’s looking forward to a “long, busy and successful day” filled with items offered at “very competitive prices.” 

Also in the shopping center is . Manager Stephen Walden said he could not divulge specifics, but that the shop will offer “lots of things” to gamers.

* Elsewhere:

Finally, at , shoppers can find just about anything for the camera/photography buff on their holiday list. The store’s staff offers personalized service to photographers of all levels, from novice to professional, with a wide selection of cameras and equipment. The store will open early -- at 9 a.m. -- Friday and Saturday, and is also participating in the American Express “Small Business Saturday” promotion.