DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Several Iowa retailers were bracing for large crowds for Friday shopping, but others said they weren't sure how brisk sales would be this year.

At a Kohl's department store in Council Bluffs, manager Sara Kanne said more than 100 staff members would be on site for the mad rush of customers wanting to catch special deals.

"There are over 250 early bird special items from 4 a.m. to 1 p.m.," she said.

In eastern Iowa, College Square Mall general manager Amy Dutton was confident sales would remain robust at the Cedar Falls shopping center based on predictions for overall holiday sales.

"At this point, all the indications are that the sales will be strong again this year," Dutton said. "We anticipate that we will have the same success here."

But merchants at specialty and boutique shops said they were doing their best to attract shoppers on Black Friday.

Rod Boyd, owner of Crystal Gallery in West Des Moines, had been unpacking and displaying colored crystal vases and art pieces he imports from Romania. He said factors like the economy and fuel prices could adversely affect holiday spending and ultimately hit smaller retailers like himself.

"My product tends to be on the luxury side and not so much a necessity," he said. "About 45 to 50 percent of my sales are during the holidays. This time of year is make or break for a lot of people."

Katie Wengert of Sticks Inc., which sells artisan home furnishing, accessories and jewelry in West Des Moines and Des Moines, said specialty stores likely hers likely wouldn't have the same rush as malls and mass retailers.

"It's not as big a day for us as it is for the big box stores and the shopping centers," she said.

At the same time, "we hope Friday is crazy busy," she added.

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Information from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com

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