‘Friday’ fever dashes cold for masses

Thousands bag bargains, enjoy thrill of hunt at Valley stores

By ELISE FRANCO

Vindicator staff writer

Some people will do just about anything for a deal — even wait in line in the cold and rain for more than 10 hours. Target Manager Aaron Komlos said about 850 people waited outside the Boardman store for its 5 a.m. opening. He said sales were steady all day and comparable to last year.

“Customers said they liked the organization of getting the initial rush [in] and out in a timely manner,” he said. “They were leaving happy and with merchandise.”

Denise Pickett, of East Palestine, said she arrived at 4:15 a.m. hoping to get an LCD television that was on sale but was told the TVs sold out within five minutes of the store opening.

Instead Pickett picked up a DVD player, digital camera and a navigational system.

“I’ve been doing this for six or seven years,” she said. “Once you get the fever then you’ve got it.”

Pickett said she estimates she saved more than $100 on the items she purchased at Target, and planned to do all of her holiday shopping Friday.

“It’s all about the thrill of trying to get the things you want, and also saving money,” she said.

The Eastwood Mall in Niles opened at 7 a.m., but many department stores welcomed shoppers much earlier.

Ken Kollar, mall general manager, said Old Navy opened at 3 a.m., JCPenney and Sears at 4 a.m. and Victoria’s Secret at 6 a.m.

He said this year’s Black Friday exceeded his expectations.

“I was here bright and early, and we already had great crowds,” Kollar said. “Not only were people here but they were buying ... That is the ticket.”

Mall Marketing Director Christa Thomas said sales were up in many stores from last year, and overall the mall was much busier.

“Sales have to be good,” she said. “It’s been so busy. There are people with bags everywhere.”

Thomas and Komlos said no mishaps or disturbances were reported at Target or the mall, but it was a different story for other retailers in Niles.

A concerned Toys R Us shopper called for help from police, which prompted fire officials to reduce the number of customers allowed inside the store which opened at midnight Thursday.

Police Chief Bruce Simeone said an “ungodly long” line of customers was waiting outside the store for its midnight opening. Niles fire officials were called and arrived at about 12:30 a.m. to help determine how many people could remain safely inside the store at one time, Simeone said.

After that, store officials only permitted a customer to enter the store when a customer left, Simeone said. Fire officials left at about 2 a.m.

The Niles Police Department also received two calls for assistance regarding individuals causing a disturbance — at Toys ‘R Us at about 1:20 a.m. and at the nearby Best Buy at about 2:20 a.m.

Joyce Fisher, 73, of Middlefield, said she, along with her two daughters and two granddaughters, has done day-after-Thanksgiving shopping at the mall for three years now.

For some families, Black Friday shopping at The Eastwood Mall has become a tradition.

The five women donned matching holiday shirts and Santa hats with “Girls Day Out” written in glitter.

“Everyone just got involved,” Fisher said. “It’s a familiar thing ... We like The Eastwood Mall.”

Fisher’s granddaughter Jennifer Humphries, 25, of Raleigh, N.C., said she moved away from the area a few years ago, but comes back for Black Friday shopping with her family.

“I mean, I came back for Thanksgiving,” Humphries said. “But really, mainly for Black Friday. This is my holiday.”

Ian Watson, 23, of Struthers, said he arrived around midnight Friday at Best Buy in Boardman, which opened its doors at 5 a.m., and the line was already at least 50 people long.

“I came to keep one of my friends company,” he said, wrapped up in a polka-dot blanket. “This is my first time, and it’s cold.”

Watson said he planned to purchase the video game Dragon Age, which he said was about $25 off its regular price.

Lindsey Goodrich, 16, of Edinburg, Pa., said she had been in line with a group of friends since 5 p.m. Thursday.

“This is my first year doing this,” she said. “I am trying to get a laptop on special for $200.”

Goodrich was among about 700 people lined up outside the store.

Shelly Rice, store supervisor, said she drove by at 9 a.m. Thursday and saw the first customers claiming their spots at the front of the line.

Rice said if you want the best deals, you need to be early.

“Usually all the ticketed items are gone by 11 a.m.,” she said. “This year we’ve really [ramped] up the stock, so we have a lot more.”

Though the crowds can get large, the experience is fun, Rice said.

“If it wasn’t for our customers we wouldn’t have jobs,” she said.

efranco@vindy.com