MaineBusiness.com

For the national retail chains and the malls where they do business, one of the biggest days of the year is just hours away.

Far from the long lines of traffic and bright lights of the malls, merchants in downtown shopping districts have already conceded Black Friday to the mall stores, which use heavily discounted items — door busters — to attract huge volumes of shoppers.

The same is true for Maine-based retail chains such as Renys and Marden's, whose owners say it makes more fiscal sense to hold early-bird sales and offer daily discounts than to spend their money on Black Friday advertising.

Renys and Marden's operate across Maine, including stores in Bath, Biddeford, Bridgton, Damariscotta, Ellsworth, Gardiner, Gray, Lewiston, Portland, Sanford and Waterville.

Main Street Bath, which represents shop owners in the midcoast city's downtown, "decided a number of years ago that we didn't have the (advertising) money to compete with the mall and big-box stores," said Jennifer Geiger, director of the group.

Geiger said Bath merchants have shifted their emphasis from Black Friday to Saturday.

The city will host its third annual tree lighting and Jingle Bell Walk at 3 p.m. Saturday — the kickoff of the city's "Old Fashioned Christmas in Bath."

Children can see the lighting of the Christmas tree at the Library Park gazebo before joining Santa Claus in a parade along Front Street to a party at City Hall. Owners often stand outside their shops and ring bells.

"If people want to go to the Maine Mall that's fine with us, but if they want to shop in downtown Bath we'd be delighted to have them," Geiger said.

Downtown Portland will follow Bath's lead. It won't even try to compete for Black Friday business.

"Black Friday is really about discounting big items. We don't try to compete. We're more into the shopping experience and the joy of finding that special item," said Jan Beitzer, director of Portland's Downtown District.

Instead of opening stores early or promoting discounts, merchants in the city's Old Port and downtown will count on the district's ambience to attract shoppers.

Beitzer said Portland's kickoff to the holiday shopping season won't really begin until Friday night, with the traditional tree lighting ceremony in Monument Square. The tree will be lit around 6 p.m.

After the tree lighting, Portland's Downtown District will offer free horse-drawn wagon rides. Those rides will be offered every weekend through the holiday season.

Rather than putting all of their resources into Black Friday sales, Beitzer said, merchants in the district take the long view, concentrating on promotional events that they hope will lure shoppers throughout the holiday season.

John Reny, chief executive officer of Newcastle-based Renys, said, "We've already had our biggest day of the year."

Renys stores held an early-bird sale Nov. 7, opening its 14 stores at 6 a.m. Customers were rewarded with 20 percent discounts on all inventory.

"You have got to do something different because you can't beat the national chains this weekend," Reny said.

Reny said he prides himself on being able to sell good products for a good value every day, not just on one special day.

Ham Marden is the owner of Marden's, a discount chain that was founded in 1964 by his father and operates 14 stores that stretch from Biddeford and Sanford to Waterville and Madawaska.

"We've decided to let the jumbo merchants have that day," Marden said. "Our business does not depend on Black Friday."

Marden said he would rather offer special values daily, rather than just one day.

The Greater York Region Chamber of Commerce is urging people to shop locally for the holidays. As a reward, those who do will be entered in a Christmas raffle. The prize will be a gift certificate — valued at several hundred dollars — that can be used at local shops.

In Freeport, merchants are going the extra mile to attract Black Friday shoppers.

Myra Hopkins, executive director of the Freeport Merchants Association, said most shops will open at midnight tonight.

The "Midnight Madness" events begin with Santa Claus riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle down Main Street. "I think it's going to be very exciting," Hopkins said.

Hopkins said her members aren't worried about competing with the Maine Mall stores.

Freeport, in addition to L.L. Bean, which is always open, offers a balance of national and local retailers.

"I honestly believe that anything on your Christmas list can be found in Freeport," she said.

Staff Writer Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at dhoey@pressherald.com