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Hunting season is open in more ways than one — shoppers are out in full force looking for holiday bargains.

There were big deals to be found on Black Friday and more are expected today, Small Business Saturday.

“It’s always mayhem,” said Jonny Wise, owner and manager of Billtown Binz, 433 Hepburn St.

He positioned a security guard at the front entrance of the store as a line of several hundred people formed along the sidewalk ahead of two scheduled openings — one at 6 a.m. and another a few hours later around 9 a.m.

One person in and one out was the policy, with a maximum capacity of 150 shoppers permitted inside the building due to fire and building code regulations, he told the Sun-Gazette.

The retail store provides a unique way to shop with prices declining each day of the week. Shoppers peruse through large, open bins and grab what merchandise suits their fancy.

“It was chilly,” said Teneile Wigton, of Selinsgrove, describing her wait in a long line that formed outside in the plaza. She said she got up at 3:30 a.m and drove herself, her daughter and son-in-law to Williamsport for the Black Friday shopping blitz. Having arrived at 5:15 a.m. and then returned at 9 a.m. when there were fresh batches of bins filled with merchandise, Wigton, a big Phillies fan, was pleased with the experience.

“Kudos to Jonny,” Wigton said of the manager, for making sure there was a fresh amount of new and high quality items for sale.

Her daughter picked up a Brita water filter and a hand-held fan. The family would head next to Burlington near Muncy.

Billtown put in a premium order for the special shopping weekend, netting items like an Apple Watch, Roomba and DeWalt tools, which were then locked in at $10 for Black Friday.

Despite their excitement, most customers were rushed but orderly. Nobody was rude or got physical, as one might see on television at some bigger box stores across the nation.

Products are brought in by the truckload and Wise and the store employees have no clue what is inside the boxes until they open them.

“We handle the products with care,” Wise said.

Usually, the store does its main restock ahead of the weekend and sets prices at $7 on Saturdays, decreasing $1 per day until it’s time to restock again. Today, on Small Business Saturday, prices will be $5, he said.

What’s neat about the store is that just because somebody arrived early it doesn’t mean that those going later won’t see new items.

“We restock,” Wise said, adding, that is so all of the people who got new stuff don’t get all of the goodies. That way, too, the store keeps it fresh and cleaned out.

Merchandise can range from home decor to bulk foods to children’s toys, and they can be as big as a dollhouse as tall as a child — as was the case Friday.

Wise, who is from Lock Haven, operates the store with a total of 10 employees, with six on hand for the Black Friday and Small Business Saturday rush.

The store is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today and it has a Facebook site with sneak peeks and a space for frequently asked questions and more information.

The Clothier, 138 W. Fourth St., will be heading into its 38th year in 2024.

Nowhere else in the region can be found the array of men’s wear and Francis and Karen Ciccarelli, owners, along with their son, Matthew and other employees were there Friday taking care of customers.

The Clothier has remained in the same location in downtown Williamsport, expanding overall three times, to give it over 17,000 square feet of store space.

A six-month-long project to repair and recondition the burgundy front awning damaged in a storm was done in time for the biggest days ahead in the holiday shopping season.

The store offers personalized customer service on anything needed from head to toe. “Selection, service, quality and price,” Francis said of the store’s offerings.

Suits, slacks, sportswear, beachwear, summerwear, shoes, sandals, ties, bow ties, all-leather belts, and endless racks of dresswear for the office are available.

Across the street, another family-owned business, Kinley’s Jewelers, 131 W. Fourth St., had a steady flow of customers, some looking to get ears pierced and others seeking the 50% off sterling silver and Bulova watches, up to 25% off gold chains and up to 30% off Waterford products.

“We are family-friendly,” said Jared Kinley of the store that has been serving the community since 1948.

Inside the store, sisters were getting their ears pierced and pearl earrings put in.

In the Muncy area, Target said shoppers are waiting longer to buy items. As an example, instead of buying sweatshirts or denim back in August or September, they held out until well after the weather turned cold.

“It’s clear that consumers have been remarkably resilient,” Target’s CEO Brian Cornell told analysts. “Yet in our research, things like uncertainty, caution and managing a budget are top of mind.”

Best deals online include apparel and health and beauty products, but there also are individuals looking for hardware and tools.

Overall, consumers are coming under pressure as their savings dwindle and their credit card debt grows.

Although some inflation is easing, many goods and services that consumers depend on such as meat, eggs and produce, as well as cost-of-living expenses such as mortgage and rent, medical expenses and utilities are far higher than they were three years ago.

According to the National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group, shoppers are expected to spend more this year than last year, as the pandemic continues to wane, but their pace is slow given all of the economic uncertainty.

The group has forecast that U.S. holiday sales will rise 3 to 4% for November through December, compared with a 5.4% growth a year ago.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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