Black Friday shoppers swarm to stores
Bargain hunters buy for themselves as well as others
By Meagan Sextonmsexton@siouxcityjournal.com | Posted: Saturday, November 29, 2008
Ginger Hiserote, left, Sergeant Bluff, hands some items to her sister, Stacy Eldrigde, Sergeant Bluff (not seen) as their mother, Bonnie Comstock, Sioux City, gathers up another handful as the three finished shopping at the Target store in Sioux City, Friday morning, Nov. 28, 2008. (Sioux City Journal/Jerry Mennenga)
SIOUX CITY-- Black Friday is normally just another workday for Lara Juhl, but this year, she asked for the day off so she could go Christmas shopping.
The 42-year-old from Le Mars, Iowa, said she couldn't afford to miss what is traditionally the biggest shopping day of the year and its promise of good deals on merchandise.
"Everything is really tight right now, and I feel like I need to find the best deal that I can find," Juhl said. " We just returned a product we found at another store because we found a better deal here (at Best Buy), just to save $40."
Juhl said she is trying hard not to buy anything for herself.
"I think it's more fun to shop for others," she said.
Perry Rasmussen, 47, of Iowa City, Iowa, said he looks forward to Black Friday for a different reason.
"I tend to shop on this day for myself and then scramble to get things for people afterwards," Rasmussen said, adding that he'd bought DVDs and CDs.
Marty Hogan, 43, of Sioux City, also was shopping for himself. Hogan had nine DVDs in his hands as he walked out of the electronics department at Target in Sioux City.
Other customers said they were shopping because it was a tradition.
"It's an adrenaline rush for me," said Suzie Jensen, 37, of Le Mars. "I've always been a bargain shopper, so I know where to go for deals. It's really fun, and we love doing it. We left Le Mars at 3 a.m. and we're still going."
Minda Thompson, a 51-year-old from Sioux City, said her family scoured ads Thanksgiving Day afternoon and then she traveled to the stores with her three adult children on Friday.
"This is an annual family event, and I think it's more crowded today than I have ever seen it, and people are out hunting for bargains because they just have X amount of dollars to spend," Thompson said. " I just try to think ahead and save up money for Christmas and put a limit on (spending) and stick with it."
Andy Puhrmann, 18, of Paulina, Iowa, said he got off to a late start and felt like he was walking into a zoo.
"The traffic is bad," Puhrmann said. " I don't know how we're going to get over to the mall."
The 42-year-old from Le Mars, Iowa, said she couldn't afford to miss what is traditionally the biggest shopping day of the year and its promise of good deals on merchandise.
"Everything is really tight right now, and I feel like I need to find the best deal that I can find," Juhl said. " We just returned a product we found at another store because we found a better deal here (at Best Buy), just to save $40."
Juhl said she is trying hard not to buy anything for herself.
"I think it's more fun to shop for others," she said.
Perry Rasmussen, 47, of Iowa City, Iowa, said he looks forward to Black Friday for a different reason.
"I tend to shop on this day for myself and then scramble to get things for people afterwards," Rasmussen said, adding that he'd bought DVDs and CDs.
Marty Hogan, 43, of Sioux City, also was shopping for himself. Hogan had nine DVDs in his hands as he walked out of the electronics department at Target in Sioux City.
Other customers said they were shopping because it was a tradition.
"It's an adrenaline rush for me," said Suzie Jensen, 37, of Le Mars. "I've always been a bargain shopper, so I know where to go for deals. It's really fun, and we love doing it. We left Le Mars at 3 a.m. and we're still going."
Minda Thompson, a 51-year-old from Sioux City, said her family scoured ads Thanksgiving Day afternoon and then she traveled to the stores with her three adult children on Friday.
"This is an annual family event, and I think it's more crowded today than I have ever seen it, and people are out hunting for bargains because they just have X amount of dollars to spend," Thompson said. " I just try to think ahead and save up money for Christmas and put a limit on (spending) and stick with it."
Andy Puhrmann, 18, of Paulina, Iowa, said he got off to a late start and felt like he was walking into a zoo.
"The traffic is bad," Puhrmann said. " I don't know how we're going to get over to the mall."
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