Black Friday before it was a big deal.

[Mic]

Back in the 80s I worked at Biggs Sporting Goods. The Friday after Thanksgiving was our Annual Gun Sale. We would open the Downtown Store at 5:00 AM. The malls would not let us open early (let that sink in!). We would always have 60-100 folks at the door when we opened. If you bought anything you could take your receipt across the street to PaPa Pia's and get a free breakfast. I would get there at 4:30 in the morning and then leave there in the afternoon and go out to one of the malls and work until 10:00 PM (it was the first day that the malls would stay open until 10 for the Christmas shopping season).
This madness that Black Friday has become is a recent phenomenon.
I grew up in Pensacola and as a little boy going to Biggs was such a treat. I think every little boy in town that was into sport of some kind wanted to work there. I was glad I got the chance. I have many friends that were made there and great memories. I wouldn't trade that for anything. Here's to Mr. Walter Biggs and the family of employees and customers that made that hometown store what it was. Thanks to all!

 

[flyandscuba]

Biggs was a great place to visit. So was Penny's Hardware. That is where I became a "gun nut". Sadly, local places like that have fallen victim to the rise of the big box stores.

 

[bobinbusan]

Yes, them was the days, gone but not for gotten, sort of the same think happen with the buffalo, we sure can mess up a good thing :hippie: :hippie:

 

[TraderDan]

What messes up a good thing is everyones desire to save a dollar, pay the lowest price possible without any care of where or who made it. you can't really blame anyone, but to save a dollar by letting all the stuff come from overseas is where we really messed up. Now they own us lock, stock, and barrel.

 

[Welldoya]

I've got several guns I bought from Bigg's. Got my first climber from Bigg's - a Baker.
I'm on my last box of Federal Premium 30/06 shells that I bought at the Bigg's going out of business sale. The sticker is still on it - $7.75. I must've bought 10 boxes.
I still wear a full face stocking cap I bought at that sale.
I always looked forward to Thursdays back then. Mike's, Bigg's and the Pistol Parlor always had ads on Thursdays.
Mike's used to have some great deals when they were on Hood Drive and Jim Cook was the manager.
Penny's Hardware was a great place to browse and they had a great selection. I bought a couple of guns from them over the years but generally they didn't have the deals that the others did.