Clients were still in a shopping frenzy by 6am Friday. JC Penney still had its doors open to customers evne after Thanksgiving.
Not bogged down by sluggishness or fatigue from beginning her shopping spree at 5pm standing in line at Walmart Thursday evening, Rebecca Quist of Hastings and her young son were first at the gate inside the mall.
"Just because of the values we were receiving on the few items. There's so few items that we really need in life and desire, that the value was there," she said.
For other individuals such as Sheila Cook of Grand Rapids though, JCPenney was at the top of their list.
"I didn't feel like being with the crowds, this is a much smaller crowd," she said.
"It's very important because I have parents that are still alive, my mom and dad, and brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews, so it was very important, especially my parents," she said.
Managers at JCPenney explained that the only reason they decided to stick with their normal Black Friday open, despite increasing pressures to open earlier every year.
"We wanted to give back to America's traditional Thanksgiving holiday, which is allowing our customers and our team members the opportunity to really enjoy the day and enjoy family," said JCPenney store leader Karen Bowyer.
"No, every place else opened at 8:00 or midnight and it would have been nice if Penney's opened a little earlier," she said.
Nevertheless, she and her family -- three generations of shoppers – purchased some Penney's deals, then headed out of the mall for more.
"Menards and then Wal-Mart again," said Hendrick.
The Woodland Mall store spokesman said thousands of people packed into the mall right at midnight, and mostly headed to Victoria's Secret, American Eagle Outfitters, Banana Republic, Bath and Body Works, and other stores in that section of the mall.
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