COVID causes quiet Black Friday in Seattle

What is usually a sea of people on Black Friday in Seattle, seemed more like a trickle.

Among them, Chael Stenchever and her brother and father. “It’s smaller, it’s different it’s quieter but it still feels like the first day of Christmas for us.”

The protective plywood is down at some stores, but it’s still up at others.

“I don’t have the rush feeling you know what I’m saying, it doesn’t feel as lively as it used to, but you know hey this is the world we’re living in we’re making it work,” said Micah Hardeman.

The Downtown Seattle Association says small businesses need help from the federal government and the public.

“We really do need that foot traffic, we need people coming into downtown, we need people returning to work in downtown. These small businesses need their customer base, they need them now,” said the DSA’s James Sido

At the Pike Place Market there’s plenty of room to walk the Arcade, where people usually stand shoulder to shoulder.

“It’s been good, there’s not a lot of people but there’s more people than I expected, but it’s nice that it’s outside, said Desiree Gionet.

Businesses hoping that the coming vaccines for COVID will soon bring customers back and some customers aren’t waiting,

“Look man, I’m not going to be cooped up in the house all day. The sales are calling my name. I’m young, Black and handsome so I got to get fly (dress well), that’s all I got to say,” Micah Hardeman said.

Cox Media Group