Black Friday lived up to its name for a number of local retailers as merchants reported increased sales over last year.

An increase in customer traffic and spending was felt in department stores, gift boutiques and even restaurants as customers took to the aisles in search of holiday deals.

Business was good at Game Stop on Highway 12 in Starkville, where manager Scott Boggs said customers were lined up outside the door before he opened. Crowds were similar to last year, he said. 

“People are saying there’s an economic downturn but it doesn’t seem to be affecting us,” Boggs said. 

Predictably, department stores were the biggest beneficiaries. Columbus’ Belk Assistant Manager Cindy Parker wouldn’t reveal her store’s take, but she did divulge the chain was expecting a 16 percent increase in sales, and the Columbus store exceeded that expectation.

At Belk, Parker said electronics were the order of the day — massagers, foot baths, GPS units and such.

Cynthia Jeona with Reed’s on Highway 45 North in Columbus said an extra hour of operation helped the clothing store beat last year’s sales total. North Face jackets and Ugg boots were hot items at Reed’s.

K-Mart on Highway 45 North in Columbus and the Mossy Oak Outlet on Highway 45 Alternate South in West Point also topped last year’s sales, partially thanks to traveling visitors.

“We had a lot more traffic from outside areas. A lot more non-local customers. A lot more than we normally have,” said Chris Davis, store manager at Mossy Oak, where Columbia sportswear, Drake Waterfowl gear and Under Armor were selling well.

Betty Harvey, store manager for the Columbus K-Mart said a certain as-seen-on-TV item was the ticket.

“We couldn’t keep Snuggies in stock,” she said.

At JC Penney on Highway 12 in Starkville, supervisor Shelia Lane said it was busy all day. She was too busy Friday afternoon to talk for more than a minute. 

“We’ve been busy,” she said. “We really have. I’m busy right now.”

At Sports Center on Highway 12 in Starkville, Ashley Norman was working the register and “doing a little bit of everything” around the store. She worked in retail last Thanksgiving, as well, and said crowds this year were comparable to last year. 

Norman was grateful for the business. Some of the best-selling items were collegiate clothing and shoes, she said. 

“It’s been great today compared to the last couple of weeks,” she said. 

A manager at Hibbett Sports on Highway 12 in Starkville said business appeared to be down compared to previous years.

At Leigh Mall, Bath and Body Works cleared nearly $1,000 over last year’s receipts. On Main Street, shops like the Purple Elephant and Charles O. Perkins’ frame shop benefited from greater foot traffic.

“At one point, we had about 20 people in here and that’s highly unusual,” said Perkins.

Sales associate Sarah Barefield at the Purple Elephant said the store came out ahead even though not everyone was looking to spend.

“We had a lot of people just looking. But a lot were buying, too,” she said, noting Pandora bracelets were popular gifts.

Even businesses with no gifts to offer received a holiday boost over last year. Sarah Labensky, owner of Front Door/Back Door restaurant and Wag pet supply store, said a late-lunch rush caught her off guard in a good way.

Renee Perkerson, owner of Joy’s Flowers, said her gift shop didn’t quite beat last year’s sales, but did manage to exceed expectations Friday.

The healthy holiday sales are due to customers like Carol Taylor, of Owensboro, Ky., who was out shopping Saturday with Ann Portera of West Point.

Taylor is spending “about the same” amount of money on Christmas gifts this year as she did last year, using cash and credit as she split her buying between stores and catalogs.

“I’m not trying to avoid credit, but I’m paying cash in the stores,” said Owens.

Portera also said her holiday spending habits haven’t changed a bit since last year or any other year.

And Black Friday shoppers were buying more than gifts to gear up for the Christmas season. Holiday decorations were moving well at the Purple Elephant, Barefield said. Perkerson sold a number of custom wreaths and a fair bit of garland at Joy’s.