Shoppers Get Jump Start On Holiday Bargains
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Die hard shoppers in search of a holiday bargain were out in full force Thursday night as retailers extended hours in hopes of beating out the competition. NY1's Bobby Cuza filed the following report.Dozens of shoppers camped outside the Toys R Us in Times Square Thursday night, many of them hoping to get their hands on this season's hot toy -- the Zhu Zhu doll.
"They'll be gone by the crack of dawn. I don't want to take the chance and not get my hands on one," said one eager shopper.
Toys R Us opened its doors at midnight, officially ushering in Black Friday. But some retailers opened their doors even earlier, hoping to avoid a tragedy like the one at a Long Island Wal-Mart last year, when a security guard was trampled and killed.
This year, Wal-Mart stores opened on Thanksgiving to avoid another stampede. Others like Kmart have long given shoppers a chance to get a jump on their holiday shopping.
"That's one of the benefits of being open on Thanksgiving. You have the customer traffic, you can impress the customers with our great deals and obviously many will come back tomorrow as well," said Kmart Assistant Store Manager Zachary Logan.
Many mom and pop retailers across the city were also open for business on Thursday. The crowds were relatively light, but that was part of the appeal.
"It's nice. Without too much pushing and all that," said one shopper.
Of course, most big retailers remained closed including Macy's, which sponsors the Thanksgiving Day Parade but otherwise took the day off to the disappointment of some.
"We wanted to go to Macy's, but they were closed. So stores that are open will get the advantage," said one shopper.
Those near the front of the line at the Times Square Toys R Us said they arrived around 7:30 p.m. Thursday, a full four and a half hours before the store's opening.