Shoppers swarmed Steinway Street on November 25, searching to save some green on the “blackest” day of the year.
Black Friday took Astoria by storm, as hundreds of residents shopped at stores along one of the neighborhood’s premier streets. Among the shops that offered significant savings were P.C. Richard & Son, GameStop, Gap, Express, Foot Locker and Modell’s.
“I think all the stores are doing really well this year,” said Renee Borys, who was shopping for clothes and toys for her nephews. “I’m very impressed with the deals. Hopefully I’ll save money today. I couldn’t get up really early this morning. I work in the city and I went to the Toys “R” Us in Times Square last night and it was crazy. It took two and a half hours to get into the electronics section. Black Friday on Steinway Street is way better, and Queens overall is better than the city.”
For some shoppers, Black Friday signals the start to “the most wonderful time of the year.”
“I’m hoping to get good deals here today,” said Martha Jacome, a resident of Ridgewood. “I love the excitement of Black Friday. For me, it means the beginning of Christmas.”
Others were unimpressed with the discount opportunities – treating one of the busiest shopping days of the year as if it were any other Friday.
“I don’t buy into this whole Black Friday thing – it is too crazy,” said Atlas Kalmeta, who was visiting P.C. Richard & Son to purchase touch-up paint. “Peoples’ priorities are all wrong. The commercialism is ridiculous. People are willing to kill each other for electronics. It is not a priority for me.”
