Last year, Black Friday sales topped $11.4 billion, a 6.6 percent increase from 2010, according to the Chicago-based research firm ShopperTrak — making the day after Thanksgiving the largest single shopping day of the year.
After shopping at K-Mart early Thursday morning, Kelly Brittingham and her mother, Carole Garrett, both of Springfield, were the first in line at Target, 1885 W. First St., at 6:30 a.m.
Both were waiting in line to purchase electronics and other gifts when the store opened at 9 p.m. Other stores, like Wal-Mart, were beginning sales as early as 8 p.m., a departure from when stories opened early Friday morning.
“We wanted to make sure we got TVs,” Brittingham said. “Last year we were third in line and we got them, but you’ve got to be first in line.”
Brittingham said Black Friday has been a family tradition for years. It also won’t cut into family Thanksgiving because they’re having it this weekend as other family members come to Springfield. She said she enjoyed Black Friday when it was later in the evening.
“It’s the thrill and the hunt of getting it,” Brittingham said.
At Best Buy, 1709 N. Bechtle Ave., Joel McGowan of New Carlisle took over a shift at noon from his girlfriend, Kim Donnan, who set up at outside the store at 10 p.m. on Wednesday. The store was set to open at midnight.
“She’s been out and about all day,” McGowan said.
Danny Jackson of Springfield said he was surprised how few people were in line. He got in line at 11 a.m. and changed plans to accommodate shopping time on Thursday.
“You think there would be more people (this early),” Jackson said.
The Ohio Council of Retail Merchants teamed up with the University of Cincinnati to create a report of holiday retail spending in the state, released Monday.
Ohio is expected to see a 4.2 percent increase in holiday spending this season, with $14.66 billion spent in November and December this year — 19.8 percent of all retail spending for the year. Last year, Ohio saw a 5.6 percent growth in sales.
About $1.08 billion will be spent in the Dayton Metro area, and around $2.8 billion in Columbus. No numbers are available for Springfield.
Many area businesses were stocking up for an even bigger Black Friday this year. David Jones, the manager at Wal-Mart, 200 S. Tuttle Road, said the store had a bigger quantity of items this year for Black Friday.
“You try to take care of everybody every year, but some things just get a little hotter to where you don’t have enough of something,” Jones said.
He said they try to accommodate employees’ needs on Thanksgiving Day, but the nature of the business has pushed the deals to begin earlier than ever. Jones said both the customers and employees were “fired up and ready” for what he calls the “Thanksgiving Blitz.” They’re closed just once per year, Dec. 25, for the Christmas holiday.
“It’s always a rush for us and the customers,” Jones said.
Macy’s, located inside the Upper Valley Mall, opened at midnight today after a great reception last year, said manager Ted Bailey, but also to help employees enjoy the holiday.
“We want to try and always honor the tradition of Thanksgiving,” Bailey said.
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