Dropping temperatures and a heavy, blowing rain did not keep deal-seekers from Vicksburg’s shopping centers for the annual Black Friday retail frenzy that officially kicked off the holiday shopping season.

While some stores were open throughout Thanksgiving Day, many opened later — some near midnight — to usher in the time of year when retailers hope the ringing cash registers will soar profits.

Newly opened Carter Jewelers on Pemberton Square Boulevard opened at 8 a.m. Thursday, offering free earrings to the first 100 customers as an incentive for shopping on a day that usually sees a day off for retailers.

“This was our grand opening,” store manager Ginger Richards said. “We had a lot of early birds. People were lined up before we opened.”

Thee store saw a steady stream of customers throughout the day, she said.

That evening as temperatures fell from 80 to 40 as a hard-blowing rain was dumped on the city, a Black Friday veteran was the first person in line awaiting opening of the Gap at the Outlets at Vicksburg at 11 p.m.

“I do this every year, and I was first in line last year, too,” said Senetta Brown of Vicksburg, who arrived with a group of relatives at 10 p.m. “I’m here for the big sales. You can get a $69 sweater for half off.”

A couple of the outlet stores were open at 10 p.m., just as the rain started. Half an inch of rain had fallen through the early morning shopping hour.

“We got a jump start on it,” said Ethan Walker, manager of Gymboree, a children’s clothing store. “The turnout is better than last year’s.”

Walker believes customers flock to stores on Black Friday for the sizeable, time-sensitive sales that are offered for that one day, when almost all retailers turn a profit.

Stephanie Boyt, a resident of Oak Grove, La., about 125 miles west of Vicksburg, drove the extra miles to save as much as half on children’s clothing.

“I spent about $20, and I saved about $30,” she said after checking out at Gymboree. “I come here just because of the outlets.”

Jackson residents Velma Johnson and Mary Edwards made an overnight trip to Vicksburg because, they said, the deals start much earlier here.

“The midnight shopping is something that Vicksburg started,” Johnson said as she pushed along a 5-foot stack of boxed kitchen appliances while waiting to check out around 5:30 this morning at JC Penney, which opened at 4 a.m.

The pair had been shopping since 10 p.m. Thursday and continued into the early morning hours.

“We’ve been up all night,” Johnson and Edwards said.

Along with retailers, some of Vicksburg hotels and motels saw increased bookings for the weekend.

Holly Pendelton, front desk clerk at Jameson Inn, which is across the street from the outlets, said the motel saw reservations from customers who were in town for Black Friday shopping, as well as about 15 walk-in customers Thursday night.

While the 60-room hotel was only half booked today, Pendelton said that number was higher than any recent weekends.

Theresa Clay, assistant general manager of Courtyard By Marriott, also near the outlets, said this morning that 84 out of 111 rooms were occupied. “I think that’s pretty good for this weekend, considering last year at this same time, we were only 25 percent occupied.”

Deals on power tools and appliances also yanked people out of bed a few hours earlier than usual.

“We had in mind what we wanted before we came,” said James Davis, who, along with nephew Mike Davis, were some of the first customers at The Home Depot this morning. The Vicksburg pair had piled into a shopping cart items such as Christmas trees, an electric skill saw and name-brand flashlights they said don’t usually go on sale any other time of the year.

“That’s just a deal you can’t pass up,” Mike Davis said of the electric skill saw set that was priced at 50 percent off.

Black Friday deals will continue through the day, but some stores have said new deals will be released for “Black Saturday.”

“We’ll have some more new deals on Saturday to keep customers coming back,” Home Depot store manager Jeff Woods said.

Merchants downtown did not participate in early Black Friday shopping hours, but will have two shopping events this weekend.

A national initiative called Small Business Saturday is calling for the community to support small businesses, and Vicksburg Main Street, which promotes downtown businesses, was touting the event this morning.

The Old Fashioned Christmas Open House special shopping event will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, and kick off extended shopping hours during the holiday season.

Shops will stay open until 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays until Christmas.