Shoppers wait until Black Friday crowds thin to seek unique gifts

This year several retailers chose to extend their “Black Friday” deals throughout the entire week, but that didn’t stop shoppers from waking up before sunrise to head out to the Meridian Mall.

JCPenney will be back open Saturday morning at 8 a.m. Staff told 10 On Your Side’s Kara Dixon that it’s actually been busier than they expected this year.

Lattimer said the mall seems to have reached a good balance of retailers open on Thanksgiving and those that open on Black Friday.

“We’ve just been shopping around”, she said.

About an hour after opening at 6 p.m. Thursday, some Inland Center stores had lines at the register, but shoppers appeared relaxed.

At the Williamsburg Premium Outlets, a spokesperson says the parking lot was nearly totally full as of 10 p.m. Thursday.

Aucker was among the countless hordes of people who could be seen in and around the Lycoming Mall on Black Friday to do Christmas and holiday shopping.

“She’s insane”, Kylie said with a laugh.

As in past Black Friday, the top seller reported by retailers was television sets.

She added that her Black Friday experience was a lot easier than in years past.

“We opened at 3 p.m. (Thursday), and we have been open all night into this morning, and we will close tonight at 10 p.m”.

It’s as much a tradition for some families as it is finding deals.

The store manager says better deals brought out more people this year than last year.

“My husband wanted a new TV for his Play Station Pro”, said Yeager, who made the Thanksgiving shopping pilrimmage with best friend, Jen Flannery, 36, for the fifth year in a row. Macy’s launched its holiday selling season at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving, an hour earlier than it has opened on the holiday in each of the last two years.

Walton’s daughters said they had fun and were more than excited to show us their big finds. There’s good deals at H&M.

Another shopper, Temika Williams, says she was not getting up early to shop, but says she was still looking for deals Friday afternoon.

“We just come for the fun of it and to catch some good bargains”, she said. “I went to the mall and my daughter went to Walmart, so we were able to get everything”.

“I usually avoid Black Friday just because it can get pretty insane”.

Cooper said the material things that come with Christmas are less important to her than time spent with loved ones.

“I personally like to go to a store and talk to someone”, she said.

7News cameras captured a line out the door and wrapped around the parking lot at the BrandSmart in Palmetto Bay, Thursday.