Business & Tech
Shoppers Generally Upbeat but Careful in Early 'Black Friday' Spree
At the ghastly hour of 5 a.m., shoppers were just hitting their strides, bolstered by cups of coffee and lured by hefty discounts at major retailers.
With the precise tactical and logistical planning usually associated with an amphibious Marine landing, veteran shoppers were out in force as the (for southern California) frigid air of the clear, moonless, pre-dawn hours reddened the cheeks of determined, yet upbeat bargain hunters.
Some shoppers began lining up in some places at 2 a.m. and were inside stores by 5:30 a.m. with visions of discounts dancing in their heads.
In Monrovia, this meant primarily , , and . In neighboring Duarte, it meant Target, Wal-Mart and Best Buy.
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"We got here at 2:40 AM," said Treissy Hernandez outside of Kohls. "The line was already around the corner."
When asked if it was worth it, she replied, "Yeah, I saved $70!"
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She and friend Norma Rios were off to Wal-Mart next.
"I needed some running shoes for myself," said shopper David Hall. "I got here at 2:45 a.m."
Many of the shoppers were in too big a hurry to talk. "We're going back home" or "we have to get to Target" were quickly blurted out as people rushed to their cars.
"We got everything!," said Gabriel Salazar, shopping with his wife Marjorie. "We mostly got what we needed at Target, and got the last things here [at Toys R Us]."
"We were out at 4 a.m. and bought a lot of stuff," added Ms. Salazar.
Although the parking at Kohls and Toys R Us were fairly full, in front of Bed Bath and Beyond, things were relatively quiet.
The same could not be said for in Duarte. There, the lot was crammed. The same was true at Best Buy, but clearly the big attraction was Wal-Mart as parked cars and late (5:30 a.m.!) arrivals hunted down that most elusive necessity--a parking spot.
Typically, most shoppers were in a festive mood, buoyed by the idea of savings. Some shoppers said they had to work together to get the best deals.
"You have to tag team shop," said Janine McRiley. "The lines are crazy. One shops and the other [indicating her friend Cheryl Marino] waits in line."
Patty Russ showed up extra early, but that didn't make a difference, she said.
"We got here to beat the crowds," Russ said. "And they were already here!"
For other shoppers, patience was the best approach.
"I just stayed back and people watched," said her partner in shopping, Mitzi Franco. "I waited and watched and after the first rush, I just walked on in."
