In Wharton County, local businesses embraced Black Friday and Small Business Saturday to draw shoppers despite the rise of online holiday deals. Southern Belle Boutique in El Campo saw steady crowds, offering discounts throughout the day. Nearby, Bohemian Rhapsody II in Wharton featured sales tailored by its vendors, while 3 In 1 Fit Center highlighted healthy post-holiday options like protein shakes and teas. Nationwide, holiday spending is on the rise, with a 9.6% increase in online sales so far, showing a blend of traditional and digital shopping trends.