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Black Friday

Thursday, November 15, 2012

TELL US: Should Mass. Blue Laws Be Eliminated?

Blue laws prohibit retailers from opening before midnight on Black Friday.

Black Friday is starting earlier than ever, as some national retailers have announced they will open the night of Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 22. However, here in Massachusetts, state blue laws prohibit stores from opening until midnight, according to an article in the Boston Globe.  Current blue laws prohibit retailers in this state from opening on Thanksgiving, thus preventing them from getting an early start on Black Friday sales, according to the Globe article. Some exceptions are restaurants, health care facilities and gas stations.  The laws, instituted in the 17th century, are intended to make sure holidays are properly observed, according to the Boston Globe.  Are Massachusetts' blue laws outdated? Should they be eliminated? Tell …

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Support Your Favorite Small Business With a Patch Shout-Out

With Small Business Saturday set to take place on Nov. 26, you can help drive feet — and wallets — to your favorite independent business through D-S Patch!

You might be the type who finds sleeping on a freezing sidewalk for the best Black Friday deals exciting. Or perhaps you've already started working out your mouse-clicking finger for Cyber Monday. But if neither scenario appeals to you, there is an alternative — Small Business Saturday. Small Business Saturday, conceived by American Express to help spotlight the efforts of local small businesses, comes at the beginning of the big holiday shopping sprint — this Saturday — and encourages shoppers not to bypass Main Street for the Natick Mall, Patriot Place or Legacy Place. D-S Patch would love to hear which small businesses you can't live without in Dover and Sherborn and beyond. Tell us in the comments section of this article which …

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