Shoppers hit stores ahead of Black Friday

In 2008, a Walmart employee was trampled to death during the store’s Black Friday sale. They were down to $51 billion past year, even as overall consumer spending kept rising.

It was still Thanksgiving, after all. She and a few friends were the first ones in line at the store.

“It’s been very slow”, said Billy Coleman, of Newport News. “The best deals in town!”

“Then, at 6:00 p.m., we turned on the Black Friday magic in stores”. The fever peaked at 5 p.m.at Best Buy.

“That’s good [being the first people], because we can get whatever we want”, he said.

“We’re encouraging people in the local community to shop local”, said Suzanne Nolfo Carlos, Houma-Terrebonne chamber president and CEO.

Best Buy is already filled with shoppers and will be until 1:00 AM. Video by Megan Wyatt, The Advertiser. Some stores have taken a stance not to open on Thanksgiving. That’s why many stores have started planning ahead of time.

Irion also played past year with some of the group. “This is what we do every year”, she said.

Francisco Nava waited outside a Best Buy store in Beaverton with a crowd of friends.

Standing in line for Black Friday, on Thanksgiving, is becoming it’s own holiday tradition. “So we’re ready”, said Justice.

Meanwhile, a Bloomberg report noted that the surge in online shopping may not be limited to Cyber Monday. Many retailers stretched out sales to attract shoppers with discounts far beyond a single day, offering “Black Friday” promotions throughout the week.

The most popular item people said they were waiting for? TVs.

“It was good”, said Gwen.

I will rest on Friday and spend time with my family. “You see people acting insane on TV, but people have been cool”. She says rearranging for the Thanksgiving holiday is worth it for her wallet.

If you look up your favorite shopping website, you’re likely to find plenty of Black Friday promotions.

Hundreds lined nine levels of escalators at Macy’s flagship store in New York City to get Black Friday deals on Thursday. Best Buy, Target, Kohl’s, Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, Opry Mills, CoolSprings Galleria, RiverGate Mall, Lebanon Premium Outlets and Stones River Mall opened on the holiday this year.

But this store was just the beginning for this veteran Thanksgiving Day shopper.

Kimberley Turner, a mother in her forties who was shopping with her young son said she found the discounts less compelling.

“I was missing Thanksgiving dinner, but I couldn’t miss out on a great deal”. But Toys R Us is always our first stop.