Last-Minute Shoppers Face Long Lines At Grocery Stores, Malls
GLENDALE (CBSLA) — Last-minute shoppers looking for the perfect gift were not the only ones facing long lines on Monday.
"It's crazy, crazy like mad dogs in here," Vincent Marsh, a Salvation Army bell ringer stationed outside a Sherman Oaks Ralph's, said.
His silver bells had nothing on the many honks, and perhaps a few profanities, ringing through the parking structure. Though it was hard to tell where traffic was worse — outside in the parking structure or inside trying to navigate around adults, children and carts.
The Kosher bakery case was cleaned out with crowds wanting to make all eight nights of the festival of lights sweet.
But John and Patty Rhone, who have been married for 65 years, have mastered the art of keeping the holiday spirit alive — even in the face of frantic shoppers.
"It's very crowded, but I just have an attitude about, 'It's not gonna bother me,' and just go right through and have no problem at all" John said.
Over at Glendale's Honey Baked Ham, they'll sell hundreds of hams this season, including to Michelle Salgado and her family who arrived just five minutes before the store closed after a nine-hour drive. She said she could not think of going home without stopping to pick one up.
"They have the glaze, and it's sliced, and all that honey goes in there perfectly and it's all crystallized," she said. "It's really good."
But for other people, lining up at outlets in East Los Angeles such as Liliana's to pick up their orders by the dozen.
"Four dozen," Elena Carvajal, a customer, said.
In the two days leading up to Christmas, Liliana's said it would sell more than 100,000 tamales — sweet and savory.
"The green and red, those are the good ones," Sal Zuniga, a customer, said. "The sweets are good, too, but I gotta watch the pounds, you know?"
Liliana's opens Tuesday at 2 a.m. with people lining up before the doors even open.