Shop til you drop, in an orderly fashion
BOARDMAN
Some Mahoning Valley shoppers didn’t let Thanksgiving get in the way of shopping for Black Friday deals.
“Enjoy your Thanksgiving while we’re out here in the cold to shop deals,” said Klarence Thomas of Youngstown, while waiting at the front of the line at Best Buy, 561 Boardman Poland Road. He’d waited in line since 1:30 p.m. for the store to open at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
Thomas said he’s looking to buy a new TV, laptop and video games. He’s been doing Black Friday shopping for the last three years.
“It’s definitely a tradition,” he said.
Some shoppers, however, made adjustments to their Thanksgiving Day traditions — such as Paulette Fry, of New Middletown.
“I ate early so I could be here in line,” she said.
Fry wants to buy the iPad Air 2, which is $100 off at Best Buy.
But Brittany Claibore, of Farrell, Pa., said stores opening early on Thanksgiving takes away from the Black Friday experience. “This is more like Thanksgiving Day shopping,” she said. “It’s turning into a Black Thursday or whatever you want to call it.”
Claibore said she’s hoping to buy a new PC laptop for $500, half the regular retail price.
As an experienced shopper on Black Friday, Claibore said her relatives are at different stores such as Target and Walmart in order to not miss out on the deals at those locations.
Although chaos and mayhem is usually associated with Black Friday, the atmosphere was quite peaceful and orderly for Best Buy when it opened its doors.
Doors opened an hour later at Southern Park Mall, 7401 Market St. There was Christmas music in the background that welcomed a moderate line of shoppers at the food court entrance. Among them was Brenda Guido of Boardman, who planned to buy candles, soaps and lotions at Yankee Candle with her friend Sue Hale, also of Boardman.
“It’s a good social time with your friends,” Guido said.
Read more in Friday's Vindicator.