PANAMA CITY — Shoppers by the score spent much of their Thanksgiving Day standing in lines waiting for door-buster deals on “Gray Thursday,” although some bemoaned the trend.
“I wish they’d change the times to more Black Friday,” a blanket-wrapped Terri Waddell said, sitting in a lawn chair at Target. “It gives people more time with their family on Thanksgiving.”
Since 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Waddell swapped shifts with her husband in order to spend time with her family while maintaining her spot as first customer in line.
By 6:30 p.m., she barely cracked a smile when speaking about Gray Thursday’s earlier hours; however, she continued to sit in her lawn chair. She was determined to buy her son a 50-inch TV for $229, slashed from its regular $600, when the store opened at 8 p.m.
The store was one of many to offer special deals on Thanksgiving Day, and most will offer more door-busters again Friday.
At neighboring Toys R Us, hundreds of people snaked around the multiple-store plaza minutes before doors opened at 5 p.m.
At the end of the line, which reached near the back of the building, Cathie Levi and her husband stood, spending part of their marriage anniversary vacation.
“We’ve got kids at home,” Levi said, referring to her residence in Edmonton, Ky. “I guess people will do anything for their children.”
They weren’t looking for anything specific, she said, but since Christmas is approaching, they were taking advantage of the discount opportunities.
“We do these things because it’s cheaper, even if we’re two miles down the line,” she said.
Shelby Hamilton and her mother, Marian Hamilton, were among the first 100 customers allowed in the store. They came to buy $10 cases of diapers — which they said are normally $20 per case.
“It’s much better for those who have kids,” Shelby Hamilton said, referring to earlier door-busters hours and noting she wouldn’t have to leave her children at late hours as called for during Black Friday sales.
“Toys R Us had it very well executed for this Gray Thursday,” she added. “We were out in less than 30 minutes.”
Across the street at Best Buy, some customers had camped out at the store from as early as 8 p.m. Wednesday. TVs, laptops and cameras, were the store’s coveted door-busters items customers couldn’t let slip by.
“It seems to be pretty close to what happened last year — (although) it feels funny to be here on Thanksgiving,” said Jenna Dalessandro, general manager, noting customers’ energy-level was “up” as in previous years.
Electronics were “extremely discounted,” she added, “and people are willing to camp out here for a couple of days to get them.”