Shoppers wait to nab bargains
Sabrina Mangin was rethinking her wardrobe choice while waiting outside Toys R Us in Washington Mall just before the store opened for Black Thursday shoppers on a frigid Thanksgiving night.
The Avella woman waited for nearly three hours to secure the top spot in line for the best shot at finding the new Skylander SWAP Force video game that is expected to be one of the top Christmas presents of 2013.
“I’m ridiculously cold,” Mangin said. “I should’ve worn some hunting clothes. This just isn’t warm enough.”
A few people behind Mangin found a way to stay a little warmer by sitting in their cars, waiting to see the first sign of life arrive before jumping in line. By the 5 p.m. opening time, however, the line stretched across most of the mall’s side with at least 200 people waiting for the grand opening.
Mangin, who noted it was the smallest crowd she’s seen the past three years, wasn’t too worried about any ugly scuffles. In her experiences shopping on Thanksgiving night at the toy store, she said the crowds are typically well-organized with few problems.
“It’s fairly orderly,” she said. “It’s a festive atmosphere. The thrill of the hunt.”
She and her newfound friends in line expected Thursday night would nearly finish their Christmas shopping for the season, although they weren’t writing off taking advantage of any future deals.
That was the sentiment shared by Misty Demidovich and her sister, Hillary Shingleton, after they drove up from Morgantown, W.Va., immediately after their Thanksgiving dinner with family. They were in search of the Skylander video game and a Furbee Boom for Demidovich’s two young children, who were at home with their father.
Demidovich and her sister planned to visit Walmart and Target to finish their Christmas shopping list. Demidovich said the Thanksgiving night deals would then allow her to take her children to Oglebay to see the lights Friday night.
“We’re going to finish our Christmas shopping tonight,” Demidovich said. “We’ve done this the past couple of years. I don’t mind the crowds.”
Just a mile away, there were no lines outside of the Walmart at Trinity Point in South Strabane Township. Most people were already inside the store wearing special discount wristbands and keeping warm while waiting for the sales to start at 6 p.m. Two South Strabane police officers kept an eye on the door, but there were no unruly crowds shortly before the sales began.
Meanwhile at Kmart in McMurray, the stream of shoppers was brisk during the morning hours. A half-dozen shoppers lined up shortly before the store opened at 6 a.m., and the rest of the day saw moderate business. The electronics department, however, was packed with people pulling the latest video games from the shelves or, in some cases, jamming big screen televisions into their shopping carts.