Amador County – Black Friday 2008 received some good reviews from a few local businesses last week. Wolf Hein of Hein & Company Booksellers, 204 Main Street, said it was his “very best Black Friday for sales ever.” It was up 15 percent from last year on Friday and up 10 percent on Saturday. His bookstore has had the best November since it opened 20 years ago. Most of his items are used and discounted and he saw people in tough times were “value shopping” – thus thinking more about the purchases. He said he saw the same thing happen after 9-11, “when times are bad, people slow down.” He said a used book costs one-third the price of a new book and makes a thoughtful present. Further down Main, Richard and Sherry Small of Richard & Sherry’s Wood Carvings, 33 Main, said they had a busy Black Friday. Richard Small said he sold a lot of bigger items, like a slot machine and sculptures. It wasn’t a record but it was good business, with sales similar to 2007. Richard Glade, owner of Full Circle Trading Company, 15 Main, said he also was busy Friday and Saturday, during the Black Friday Open House. He saw some people coming back from last year and also had first-time visitors to his shop. And he sold three of his American Indian-themed acrylic paintings, a first for him on a Day-after-Thanksgiving shopping day. Glade said his sales were up about 20 percent over last year. Story by Jim Reece (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).