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Early shoppers at Wal-Mart in Bakersfield, Calif., grab 27-inch televisions and DVD players when the store opened at 6 a.m. today. Hundreds waited in line for hours to get the special Christmas sale items. (AP photo / November 29, 2002) |
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NEW YORK -
Bargain hunters woke before dawn to head to the nation's stores and malls Friday, the official opening of the holiday season, hoping to take advantage of early bird specials on hot toys and big-ticket items like TV sets.
Retailers are hoping to keep the crowds coming in the next few weeks to avoid what is expected to be a lackluster holiday season, given the sluggish economy.
In a scene that played out across the country, about 500 people lined up at a Wal-Mart Stores Inc. outlet in Abington, Mass. before the discounter opened its doors at 5 a.m.
Among the early risers was Donna Gramazio of Brockton, Mass., who came out to buy children's bikes and a battery-operated toy Jeep, which was on sale for $197.
"I wanted to get my shopping done all in one day," she said.
Sheila Sherlock of Whitman, Mass., was buying lots of toys, including a Playdough set and a doll. She was also buying electronic devices: two Gameboy advance handheld games that were $44, marked down from $69.99.
She scored a Symphonic VCR/DVD player for $98 and a computer printer for $28.
"It's exciting," Sherlock said. "People just race for the door."
At the K-B Toys Inc. store in Arundel Mills, the doors opened two hours before sunrise -- at 5 a.m. Store officials say that in the first four hours the had run up $30,000 in sales.
By the time the store closes tonight, officials expect to hit $75,000 in sales. Sony's Play Station II and Sesame Street's "Chicken Dance Elmo" are among the hot items.
This is the third holiday shopping season at Arundel Mills, which opened in November of 2000.
At a Best Buy Co. store in Lincoln, Neb., 600 shoppers lined up before dawn.
"I usually sleep in, but they had some deals I couldn't pass up," said Robert Willman, a 19-year-old University of Nebraska student. He was in line for DVDs, CDS and a computer hard drive.
One of the first in line at a Wal-Mart in Manville, N.J., was Jackie Hawkins, 45, of Somerville, N.J., who showed up a little after 4 a.m. for the 5 a.m. store opening. She was in search of a Nintendo Advanced Game Boy.
Meanwhile, Joan Muniz, 48, of North Brunswick, N.J., was excited about the 27-inch Symphonic television she got for $148.98.
In Bismarck, N.D., Wendy Anderson, 37, came out of K-B Toys with two large bags stuffed with items, including a Hasbro Fur Real Friend.
"I pretty much ran through the store. Eleven minutes to shop, save $200," she said as she gleefully left the store.
At K-B Toys at the King of Prussia Mall in King of Prussia, Pa., outside Philadelphia, there were about 75 people in line before the 5 a.m. opening.
Among them was Cherie Schroeder, 36, of Audubon, Pa., who was in search of a Fisher-Price car garage and a Crayola "trace and draw." She found them.
"They're really hard to find. I've looked at three other stores," she said of the Crayola kits.
Retailers are hoping to keep the crowds coming in the next few weeks to avoid what is expected to be a lackluster holiday season, given the sluggish economy.
In a scene that played out across the country, about 500 people lined up at a Wal-Mart Stores Inc. outlet in Abington, Mass. before the discounter opened its doors at 5 a.m.
Among the early risers was Donna Gramazio of Brockton, Mass., who came out to buy children's bikes and a battery-operated toy Jeep, which was on sale for $197.
"I wanted to get my shopping done all in one day," she said.
Sheila Sherlock of Whitman, Mass., was buying lots of toys, including a Playdough set and a doll. She was also buying electronic devices: two Gameboy advance handheld games that were $44, marked down from $69.99.
She scored a Symphonic VCR/DVD player for $98 and a computer printer for $28.
"It's exciting," Sherlock said. "People just race for the door."
At the K-B Toys Inc. store in Arundel Mills, the doors opened two hours before sunrise -- at 5 a.m. Store officials say that in the first four hours the had run up $30,000 in sales.
By the time the store closes tonight, officials expect to hit $75,000 in sales. Sony's Play Station II and Sesame Street's "Chicken Dance Elmo" are among the hot items.
This is the third holiday shopping season at Arundel Mills, which opened in November of 2000.
At a Best Buy Co. store in Lincoln, Neb., 600 shoppers lined up before dawn.
"I usually sleep in, but they had some deals I couldn't pass up," said Robert Willman, a 19-year-old University of Nebraska student. He was in line for DVDs, CDS and a computer hard drive.
One of the first in line at a Wal-Mart in Manville, N.J., was Jackie Hawkins, 45, of Somerville, N.J., who showed up a little after 4 a.m. for the 5 a.m. store opening. She was in search of a Nintendo Advanced Game Boy.
Meanwhile, Joan Muniz, 48, of North Brunswick, N.J., was excited about the 27-inch Symphonic television she got for $148.98.
In Bismarck, N.D., Wendy Anderson, 37, came out of K-B Toys with two large bags stuffed with items, including a Hasbro Fur Real Friend.
"I pretty much ran through the store. Eleven minutes to shop, save $200," she said as she gleefully left the store.
At K-B Toys at the King of Prussia Mall in King of Prussia, Pa., outside Philadelphia, there were about 75 people in line before the 5 a.m. opening.
Among them was Cherie Schroeder, 36, of Audubon, Pa., who was in search of a Fisher-Price car garage and a Crayola "trace and draw." She found them.
"They're really hard to find. I've looked at three other stores," she said of the Crayola kits.
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