Red sales tags were everywhere on Thursday ahead of Black Friday.
After thousands of Queens residents stuffed their faces with turkey, cranberry sauce and stuffing, they went to grab doorbuster deals from retailers around the borough.
Black Friday, which has become one of the most successful shopping days for stores nationwide, now starts on Thanksgiving Day and customers had no problem with that.
“The stressful part is actually the waiting,” said Brian Astacio, a Ridgewood resident. Astacio waited three hours in line for the Best Buy in Queens Place mall to open at 6 p.m. to buy electronics and a big-screen TV.
“It’s good in a way because you get things you always wanted for cheap,” he added.
For the first time ever Macy’s, one of the country’s largest and oldest department chains, opened on Thanksgiving day at 8 p.m.
The line for the retailer stretched to more than 200 people about 20 minutes before it was about to open in Queens Center Mall, and that was just on the first floor entrance. Another line with hundreds of shoppers waited near the doors on the second floor.
“It’s become more of a culture thing,” said Maspeth resident Maryam Wasef, who was first in line at the Macy’s. “It’s interesting, because its the only time of the year you could get everything and everyone just saves for it.”
Wasef said she was on the hunt for perfume and a jacket, or anything else that may have a great discount.
Around the Rego Park Center mall consumers were exiting with large bags from stores such as Toys“R”Us and Kohl’s.
But there isn’t a little Black Friday without a little craziness.
Some customers complained about the pushing and shoving from fellow shoppers and about people who brought young children out for the evening.
“Just rudeness. It’s chaos,” said Forest Hills resident Farrah Krenek.
The shopping continues today, as many stores will still be serving their deals from last night, followed by more discounts for Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, the online shopping bonanza.
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