Black Friday shopping in downtown Wheaton was steady but subdued in comparison to the frantic scenes at area malls and Wal-Marts. However, most downtown merchants were anticipating a boost beginning in the early evening in conjunction with the kickoff of the 25th Annual Dickens of a Christmas celebration.

At Continental Gifts, owner Donna Bauer was offering her traditional holiday sale of 20 percent of purchases of $50 or more, as well as complementary cookies and candy to get people in the Christmas spirit..

"It's been a steady stream," Bauer said. "Because of the sale people come in every year. We have a loyal customer base."

At Suburban Music, which opened at 12:30 p.m., owner Kim Morales said thus far the Black Friday shopping "hasn't been the greatest, but we usually get a lot of people during the time of the parade."