Black Friday shoppers out in full force
Shoppers turned out in droves at malls and big-box stores around the country, taking advantage of Black Friday deals as retailers opened their doors earlier than ever on Thanksgiving.
Toys R Us, Wal-Mart (WMT, Fortune 500) and Sears (SHLD, Fortune 500) got a head start on the big shopping weekend by opening at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. That’s even earlier than last year, when the toy retailer got a 9 p.m. start and Wal-Mart , the world’s largest retailer, opened at 10 p.m.
The crowd at the Toys R Us in New York’s Times Square started gathering about four hours ahead of the open, and was larger than it was last year, said CEO Jerry Storch.
“Our customers love the earlier opening,” said Storch. “The atmosphere is celebratory and the crowds have been happy and excited to start their holiday shopping.”