Hundreds line up to score deals on Black Friday, traveling from near and far
NILES, Ohio (WKBN) – Hundreds of shoppers lined up from near and far to take advantage of the deals on Black Friday at local retailers.
Some shoppers at the Eastwood Mall were out all night waiting for the doors to open at 6 a.m. for Black Friday.
The mall had a “swag bag giveaway” for the first 300 people, and one lucky person was given a $500 gift card to use at the mall on Friday.
The earliest shopper arrived at 10 p.m. Thursday.
The cooler temperatures overnight didn’t keep anyone away. Hundreds of people lined up to score some deals.
Strangers became friends while waiting in line — keeping the party going all morning long.
“Then we all just had a big dance party to Cha Cha Slide and other dances,” said shopper Cassandra Gallo.
“That’s basically I came out here just to have some fun, hang out with friends, shop, just see how it is. I’ve never done this before; it’s pretty sweet,” said Jacob Ellis.
Those shopping at the Grove City Premium Outlets also found the parking areas more than 90 percent full.
Some stores, like “Chocolate Moonshine,” used the lure of free candy and fudge samples to attract customers and help the bottom line.
“Absolutely, definitely big, big day for us, retail-wise. A lot of people getting their Christmas gifts for the holidays,” said Brandon Krause.
A number of shoppers said they look forward to coming here every year after Thanksgiving, even making it a family affair.
“We know we can get such good deals on Black Friday, you know, with the already marked-down prices, and then add Black Friday deals on top of that,” said shopper Aaron Dongiovanni.
“I’m not like a huge shopper, but I like good deals. If there’s good deals, I might as well take advantage, and I’m just trying to hang out with my parents,” said Matt Dongiovanni.
Lauren Strasburg and her mother said they have been driving here on Black Friday from the Pittsburgh suburb of Wexford for the last 15 years.
“Even if we don’t really know what we’re shopping for, it’s just kind of fun to be part of the crowd and just check what stores have this year,” said Lauren Strasburg.
Many of the stores and a lot of the customers have been here for years. Others like “Pro Bike + Run” literally moved in here just about a month ago in time for the holidays.
And then there are those coming down from Canada, looking for deals to take back home — even if it means standing outside in line to do it.
“Like, I was just over at another store, and I got books for $20. That just does not happen in Canada, so the selection, you can’t get the selection,” said Nelia Rutledge.
This time of year, that’s holiday music to the ears of shopkeepers.
