Verenssa Cage of Ferriday rifled through her bag of Cracker Jacks early Friday morning, finally pulling out a percent-off coupon she could use on almost anything in McRae’s.

She then scanned the store from her vantage point near the handbags, looking for the red-tag racks. &uot;I’m here to see what the specials are,&uot; Cage said with a gleam in her eye.

And Cage wasn’t alone. At discount and department stores throughout Natchez, Miss-Lou residents and holiday visitors didn’t let heavy morning rains dampen their shopping plans.

Most Natchez stores said sales seemed to be the same or better than last year’s after-Thanksgiving sales, although most stores either do not release specific sales figures locally or were not expected to compile them Friday.

&uot;I think the weather actually helped our sales, because people couldn’t go out and do anything else&uot; but shop, said Terry Perkins, manager of J.C. Penney at Natchez Mall.

Hot items included electronics specials, including computers, $58.88 VCRs and $89.94 television sets at Wal-Mart, and VCRs and &uot;Techno Dog&uot; toys at J.C. Penney.

&uot;I came here to get some bargains — and I did,&uot; said Janet Bonner of New Hebron, who was in Natchez visiting relatives over the Thanksgiving holiday.

Her cart, along with those of most other shoppers who arrived at Wal-Mart at 6 a.m. or before, was crowded with VCRs, television sets, other electronics and toys.

&uot;It’s about the crowd I&160;expected, especially for the day after Thanksgiving,&uot; said Wal-Mart Manager Joel Hullett, grinning at the sight of customers lined up with carts full of electronics and toys.

&uot;The rain hasn’t slowed them down a bit.&uot;

Other in-demand items included leather coats and jackets and other women’s apparel and accessories at McRae’s and Stage at Natchez Mall and scooters at all large stores.

&uot;I figured I&160;would get buying the kids’ toys out of the way today, too,&uot; Cage said. &uot;The hottest things this year are scooters and Playstations and, in clothes, anything made of fleece.&uot;

McRae’s opened at 6 a.m. Friday — one hour earlier than last year. Such varied items as cosmetics, candles, handbags and silver jewelry were among the day’s hot items, said Manager Mary Flach.

&uot;We were expecting to have a good day, and we weren’t disappointed,&uot;&160;Flach said. &uot;It shows people are staying home to shop, spending money in the local economy, and that’s a blessing.&uot;

Perkins said McRae’s &uot;did us a favor&uot; by opening early Friday.

&uot;We had a lot more people this year than last, and the reason is that a lot of folks went to McRae’s early to get their Cracker Jacks and then came down to my store,&uot;&160;he said.

From there, they must have walked to Stage Department Store, for Manager Lorri Alles said 50 people were waiting for her to open that store’s doors at 8 a.m.

&uot;It surprised me,&uot;&160;Alles said. &uot;I&160;felt the weather would keep people away.&uot;