In all, there are about 50 stores at the Mall, and all of them will be after their share of that big Christmas shopping pie, with an estimated 25 to 40 percent of annual retail sales garnered during this shopping season.
Black Friday is more than getting the big bargains according to one shopper. Debbie Clark said it's also a fun tradition. She starts her Yuletide shopping season at the mall.
"This is always my starting point," she said. "It's become my tradition and then I just go from there. We're in a season where we're inspired by the music and the decorations and you don't have to spend a lot of money, just set it up as a time to meet with friends and make it special."
Clark was first in line for Lakeshore Mall gift card bags given out to the first 150 shoppers at the customer service desk.
Mall Marketing Manager Kirsten Boettcher said the rush was on long before daylight when the big stores opened. She said so far Black Friday 2011 is not disappointing.
"We had a really busy rush first thing this morning when the department stores opened," she said. "There were lines to get in and it was steady and busy."
Finish Line manager Matthew Bayer said he wants to open his sports shoe store at midnight again next year on Black Friday.
"A lot of companies are going to it, and the mindset is that if people are out spending money, we want to be ones open to welcome those customers in," Bayer said.
Mall Marketing Manager Kirsten Boettcher said the shopping rush was on
Debbie Clark starts her Yule tide shopping season at Lake Shore Mall
Finish Line manager Matthew Bayer said he wants to open his sports shoe store at midnight again next year
http://accesswdun.com/article/2011/11/243837