Local store owners are hoping that shoppers will stay in town this week as Black Friday draws people to stores for more Christmas shopping.

“We need to keep our dollars local,” said Judy Crane, director of the Brewton Area Chamber of Commerce.

Several stores will be open for the traditional day-after-Thanksgiving sales with special items or events in-store that day.

Thou Art, for example, will have a storewide sale as well as locally made quiche by James Chris Fields for lunch.

Other stores will be doing sales — and some will even open a day early.

Goody’s will be open from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Thanksgiving, and will reopen again at 6 a.m. Friday.

Walmart, which recently switched to a 24-hour schedule, will be open all day and will have Black Friday specials starting the evening of Thanksgiving.

No matter where you shop, Crane said it is important to shop at home.

“Why fight the crowds out of town?” she said. “Give our local retailers a chance.”