For many, Black Friday was just an extension of Thanksgiving shopping

For many, Black Friday was just an extension of Thanksgiving shopping

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

BOYNTON BEACH — Some Black Friday shoppers resisted holiday creep and waited until Friday to find doorbuster deals. Others took the opportunity to turn it into a marathon shopping trip.

“I’m exhausted,” said Linda Osborn, who arrived at the 6 a.m. JCPenney opening in Boynton Beach 22 hours after starting her shopping expedition.

With three pages of lists — a dress rehearsal Wednesday determined in-store locations of deals and a precise schedule — Osborn said she missed some of the doorbusters but saved $200 at Kohl’s on her total bill and $60 on an under-cabinet radio.

“Yes, you’re losing sleep, but you’re saving money,” the Boynton Beach woman said.

A group of nieces, cousins, aunts and daughters who have been shopping together for at least five years refused to set foot in a store until Friday — at 4:15 a.m. they were at Target. “We value Thanksgiving day,” said Jennifer McConkey of Orlando.

But they do keep it fun, wearing lighted elf and reindeer hats purchased in past years.

“Everybody at Target was laughing,” said Patricia Heinrichs of Jupiter while the group took an early lunch break at the Mall at Wellington Green food court. “It’s about being together, having fun and shopping.”

About 41 million people planned to shop on Thanksgiving and 123 million planned to hit a store sometime during the weekend, according to a a survey by the International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman Sachs. ICSC Chief Economist Michael Niemira said consumers thought Thanksgiving “would be an earlier opportunity to find bargains.”

Nirvana for deal-hunters, Black Friday is also when merchants traditionally start turning a profit for the year.

Consumer confidence is 25 percent better than last year, West Palm Beach-based FTI Consulting Inc. said in its 2012 Retail Report. Holiday shopping for November and December is expected to grow about 4.5 percent, FTI said, which jibes with the National Retail Federation’s prediction of 4.1 percent to bring in $586.1 billion. The Florida Retail Federation predicts a 5.2 percent increase in the state.

NRF surveys showed Black Friday crowds may be down, unless shoppers were swayed by the specific store ads.

Ken Nadelman, store manager at the West Palm Beach BrandsMart, said he thought the crowds dropped off more than last year between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m., but customers were heavy at midnight and surged again once daylight broke Friday.

“I still think they’re counting on the best deals, but it just seems there’s less people shopping,” he said.

Drew Garrell, regional vice president for Macy’s, visited stores in Boynton Beach, Wellington and Boca Raton between midnight and 6 a.m. and said he thought customer traffic was the same or better than last year. Early shopping hours are very popular, he said.

“It seems to have caught on,” Garrell said. Employees were asked to volunteer if they wanted overnight hours, he said.

Wellington Green mall and Boynton Beach Mall opened at midnight, and people lined up to get in, just like the big box stores.

“We had 45 stores that opted to open at midnight,” Wellington Green Marketing Director Rachelle Crain said. “At least 400 people were waiting to get into the mall at midnight. We did not expect to have so many people.”

About 600 people waited to get into Boynton Beach Mall and the first 200 got free coffee, Marketing Director Pam Kluge-Rada said. By 5 a.m., she had to change into her flip-flops. Coffee and cold caffeine fueled many shoppers through the wee hours, and stir fry was the breakfast of champion shoppers by 7 a.m.

“Of course, Auntie Anne’s was busy all night,” Kluge-Rada said.

Terri Taylor of Tequesta was disappointed with the slim crowds early Friday as she hit Legacy Place in Palm Beach Gardens at dawn.

“We are so sad because we got up at 4 a.m. to go to Target, and there was no one there and everything was gone,” Taylor said. “We would have had to kick my parents out to go early last night.”

However, nearby Urban Outfitters was “mobbed” at 4 a.m. when it opened at Downtown at the Gardens, said Sara Abbott, 16, and Magen Balius, 13.

“When they opened the doors, everyone started screaming,” Abbott said. “I was like, ‘Is Justin Bieber here or something?’”

Several men stopping by outdoors store Gander Mountain off Northlake Boulevard about 9 a.m. bristled at being called “Black Friday” shoppers, insisting it was their only stop for the day.

“Honestly, I can’t consider myself a Black Friday shopper,” said dad Harry Boessman, whose son Ryan wanted the $25 pellet gun. “People camping out and whatnot is crazy to me.”

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