Deals, Socializing Draw Crowds To Malls On Black Friday
By Jim Melwert
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. (CBS) - Early morning shoppers packed shopping malls for Black Friday sales, including in King of Prussia.
Cheryl and Nakeisha Stewart started at 10 o' clock last night at the Philadelphia Premium Outlets in Limerick, then here to the King of Prussia Mall. As the sun came up they were finally wrapping up.
"It is crazy, sounds crazy to most people, but apparently there are a whole lot of other people doing the same thing."
By dawn, they were worn after battling the crowds.
"Limerick was packed, we drove around for an hour and 10 minutes looking for a parking space. It wasn't that bad here, but I was surprised it was as crowded as it was here when we got here at 2 o'clock in the morning."
Patrick Muir from Williamstown New Jersey, says the crowds don't bother him, in fact they kind of get him in the holiday mood.
"I don't mind, I like the holiday season. Between now and Christmas it's like that whole rush, excitement. Black Friday starts it off for me."
This is the first year King of Prussia Mall opened at midnight, says spokeswoman Kathy Smith.
"The food court was 100 percent occupied by 3 o'clock in the morning. Everyone is carrying bags, it's been a great day."
Smith says crowds are steady and there are plenty of great deals.
"Forty to 50 percent, buy-one-get-one-free sales. That's who's coming out to shop -- kind of a younger demographic. They're coming out in groups, they're having a great time, they're really making an event out of it."
And for a lot of people, it was less about the sales, and more about the social aspect – especially for these college students returning home for Thanksgiving:
"We haven't shopped in forever -- like, at KOP -- so coming back was nice."
"It's like a family friends thing, so it's been fun."
"That's what it's been for me, I don't really care about shopping, I think the deals are whatever, I just want to hang out with them."
