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San Diego Shoppers Still Flock To Black Friday

San Diego Shoppers Still Flock To Black Friday

The sounds of the holiday season were in full swing at Grossmont Shopping Center in La Mesa on Friday. Shoppers from all over San Diego had come to the mall looking for Black Friday deals.

The Friday after Thanksgiving was originally named “Black Friday” because it is when retailers would turn a profit and move out of the red and into the black.

In the past few years, stores have begun opening earlier and starting Black "Friday" on Thursday night.

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Jennifer Clark and her friend Kathleen came to Grossmont from the East County on Friday. They were on their second trip to the mall after shopping the night before.

Kathleen was shopping for gifts for her children.

“This bike, I think I probably got a 50 percent savings, I would say. So I think it was worth it, worth only two hours of sleep. But, you know, you got kids. It's what you got to do,” Kathleen said.

The pair said they noticed Black Friday is beginning earlier.

“I mean, 5 o’clock Toys R Us opened. I think last year we waited in line and it didn’t open until 11 or 12, midnight. I think it starts getting earlier,” Clark said.

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“I actually think it’s ridiculous, even though I participate," Kathleen said of the effect of the early hours on retail workers. "So I’m kind of condescending. I don’t like it, but I like it as a shopper and I think it’s pretty sad for those people who have to work."

Not everyone who came to Grossmont Friday morning was looking to shop for themselves or their family. Shawniqua Davis was shopping for bicycles to donate to charity.

“We don’t have kids in the family, everybody is grown now, so (we do) Toys For Tots... we just come out and it’s an excuse for us to shop and give back,” Davis said.