Shoppers line up Black Friday deals

It’s the biggest shopping day of the year, and Queens residents are already out in full force trying to get the best deals.
Residents started lining up late Thursday night in preparation for Black Friday, with Queens Center mall in Elmhurst, one of the biggest malls in the area, opening its doors at midnight to shoppers who were itching to take advantage of the sales.
In Flushing, shoppers and retailers in the new Sky View Center were reaping the benefits of its first Black Friday.
The Best Buy at Sky View Center opened its doors at 5 a.m., but almost four hours later, there was still a line of nearly 300 people – stretching all the way back past the Bob’s Furniture Store – who were waiting to get in.
“The line is huge; it’s unbelievable,” said Max Rajabov, 23, who traveled from Jamaica in search of a modem and router.
Rajabov said the line of customers was moving pretty quickly so he didn’t mind waiting for a little bit because the store offers good service.
Did you sit out this Black Friday or did you jump into the fray? Check out our Black Friday pictures from around Queens and send us your stories and pictures!
Located in downtown Flushing and a short distance away from other heavily populated Queens neighborhoods such as Corona, Forest Hills, Jackson Heights, Whitestone and Bayside, Sky View Center boasts a number of national retailers including BJ’s Wholesale Club, Bob’s Discount Furniture, Marshalls, Target (including a Starbucks and Pizza Hut Express), and Old Navy. A Bed Bath & Beyond store opened its doors for the first time on Black Friday as well.
“It’s really not too bad in here now,” said Jared Ock, who was shopping with his wife Annie and six-month old daughter Elizabeth in the new Target at Sky View Center around 8 a.m., trying to find some Christmas gifts for some of their family members.
While the lines at Target were moving well on Friday, Annie said that the picture at the Toys “R” Us in College Point on Thanksgiving night was a different story.
“We went in, and we walked right back out when we saw the crowds,” she said.
Other Target shoppers just wanted to check out the scene.
“Let’s just go out and be curious a little bit,” said Patricia Trinidad, who was doing some shopping in Target around 8 a.m. “The crowds are not for me, but we wanted to see what it was like.”
Many youngsters who were enjoying their second consecutive day off from school decided to spend some time at Sky View Center.
Ying Zin Jiang, 10, said she woke up around 4 a.m. to shop, and she was with her mom, brother Yong Cong and friend Ruby Zou outside of Target around 8:30 a.m.
“The candy was my favorite,” she said.