Black Friday, the "biggest shopping day of the year," is almost here. Do you really want to get up at 2 a.m. to make to Kohl's for their 3 a.m. doorbuster deals? OK -- if you insist. But after you've purchased whatever they're selling, get some more sleep and head over to an independent neighborhood store.
Why? Well, you won't have to wait in line at the door. You'll be contributing to a rich, varied Denver economy. The owners are your neighbors, and they're usually really nice people who want shopping to be fun. When you shop at a consignment store, you're buying a recycled product.
And (drumroll, please) Reason No. 1: the deals are fantastic.
What's more, because these storeowners don't have big advertising budgets, the only place you're apt to hear about these deals is right here.
4theHome Consignment Furniture, 13760 E Arapahoe, Centennial, 303-721-1800,
opens at 10 a.m. on Black Friday
Buy one rug get a second high-end designer rug of equal or lesser value free. All rugs in the store qualify. In a regular carpet store, a new rug of this quality and size typically would sell for $2,000 or more. At 4theHome, both new and consigned are $300 to $700 apiece -- half that if you consider you're getting two for that price. According to store owner J.D. Huskin, “When a chain store makes this offer, the second one is a doormat -- and that is no deal.”
Also, buy one framed designer print or original piece of wall art, get a second one of equal or lesser value free. In a regular outlet, comparable new pieces would sell for $40 to $140. Here, both new and consigned pieces are usually $20 to $80.
And -- just to enhance your shopping experience, Huskin is offering free Lamar’s doughnuts and free helium balloons, and he'll be showing college football on big-screen TVs. Plus, 5 percent of the day's total sales will be donated to the Denver Rescue Mission.