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Shoppers storm the stores

Early-bird specials
Donna (left) and Jim Sanregret of Fayetteville, look over the sale flier at Toys R Us in the Fayette Pavilion about 6 a.m. Friday. The Sanregrets, who had two carts filled with gifts by 6:30 a.m., joined thousands who raced into the store to catch the deals during the after-Thanksgiving sale. (Photo/Lee Williams)
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By LEE WILLIAMS
lwilliams@TheCitizenNews.com

Thousands of eager shoppers bundled up in coats and scarves rushed through the doors at Toys R Us and other stores in the Fayette Pavilion before dawn Friday to catch a great buy during the after-Thanksgiving sale.

Mothers and fathers with their sleepy babies in tow raced around loading up their shopping carts with gifts for loved ones. And Leah King of Tyrone was no exception.

King arrived at Toys R Us at 6:04 a.m. to cash in on the deal busters.

She said shopping at dawn during the after-Thanksgiving sale is a must.

“I have a 2 1/2-year-old and a 6-year-old,” said King, stopping briefly during the shopping frenzy to eye a Polly Pocket Groovy Getaway set for her daughter before deciding against it. “I had a long, long list and I’m ready to go.”

King has been shopping on Black Friday for so long she has it down to a science. She said the bargains she receives makes it well worth the early morning trip.

“You have to plan it out so that you can get the early bargains because some end at 10 a.m., some end at 12 p.m.,” King said.

King loves shopping, but she said the real treat comes when it’s time to wrap the presents.

“When you shop this early you forget what you get and it feels like Christmas when you take it all out again,” King said.

Yvette Marcus of College Park stopped briefly to play with a Care Bear — the perfect gift for her 2-year-old, Natalie. She, too, is a die-hard after-Thanksgiving sale shopper. She wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I love the rush,” Marcus said while admiring the push-button toy. “My sisters hate it. They are all at home. I love the madness. It’s festive. You meet and greet people and I love the great deals that you get after Thanksgiving.”

Marcus said her shopping list is short. She said she and her family plan to scale back their gift-giving this year.

“With the way the economy is going, we are definitely watching the pennies, paying cash and trying not to charge too much,” Marcus said.

But Marcus knows it will still be special as long as she has family to share the Christmas holiday with.