Riverwalk Outlets Offer Black Friday Deals and Extended Hours

NEW ORLEANS – On Black Friday, Nov. 23, locals can snag some of the best holiday shopping deals in the city, all while enjoying the merriment of downtown New Orleans, an assortment of food options, and panoramic views of the Mighty Mississippi.

The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk® will extend their shopping hours and feature deep discounts on items from more than 60 retailers, including Le Creuset, Nordstrom Rack, Gymboree, COACH, and Sunglass Hut. 

“The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk offers 25-percent to 65-percent off every day, so the really exciting thing for us about Black Friday is – in addition to the outlet pricing – we get additional sales on top of that,” said Frank Quinn, the general manager of The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk. “These are really some of the best discounts of the entire year for many of my stores.”

Some discounts will be as high as 80-percent, he said. 

“Most of my stores will open at 8 a.m. on Black Friday,” said Quinn, adding that the Neiman Marcus Last Call and New Balance shops will open at 6 a.m. 

Quinn said that he’s noticed a gradual increase in Black Friday sales since the Riverwalk opened as an outlet center in 2014. 

“Each year seems to get a little bit better and a little bit stronger. It's really been nice to see that steady progress,” he said, attributing some of their success to the “convenience” of the sprawling downtown complex. 

“We have 3000 parking spots, and they're always easily accessible and available,” Quinn explained. “Our customers like to know that they can just pull up and get a spot right away.”

But since there will be such a large crowd of competitive shoppers scrambling to find the best deals on Black Friday, Quinn shared some advice.

“Getting in early is really the most advisable thing,” he said. “There will be availability and sales all day long, but obviously if you come early you'll have the widest selection of everything that the stores have to offer.”

He also noted that many stores have already launched their Black Friday sales. 

With nearly a dozen dining options and an assortment of retailers, surrounded by glitzy seasonal décor and the soundtrack of Christmas music, The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk does indeed offer an ideal setting for holiday shopping – as does simply being downtown.

“There are so many other activities that are going on downtown throughout the holidays,” said Quinn, explaining that the Saints will play in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Thursday night; the 45th annual Bayou Classic between Southern and Grambling takes place over the weekend; and ChristmasFest, which happens inside the Morial Convention Center from Saturday, Dec. 1 through Monday, Dec. 31, tends to draw a large crowd. 

“We really love the fact that we're centered around all these other activities and special places during the holiday season,” said Quinn. 

The holiday festivities begin tonight at 5 p.m., with the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. The 50-foot tree stands on corner of Julia Street and Convention Center Boulevard. During the event, guests can enjoy complimentary face painting and live music by the Riverwalk Jazz Band.

Beginning on Friday, Nov. 30, The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk and the Downtown Development District (DDD) will host outdoor showings of classic holiday films on a 26-foot movie screen. The three movies, which air at 6:30 p.m., include: “The Star” on Friday, Nov. 30; “The Santa Clause” on Friday, Dec. 7; and “Elf” on Friday, Dec. 14. The screenings take place in the Spanish Plaza, and they are free and open to the public.

But the highlight of the season is the stores, Quinn emphasized, adding: “The stores do everything possible to make our customers feel welcome by offering great products and truly amazing prices.”

By Suzanne Pfefferle Tafur, Biz New Orleans associate news editor