Black Friday Lines Starting to Form in B-N
By: Jacob Long, WMBD/WYZZ-TV
Updated: November 20, 2012
TWIN CITIES - We are still a few days from Black Friday, but some people don't want to risk missing the deals.
So to make sure they have a spot in line, they are already camping out at two big box stores in the Twin Cities.
As of Tuesday evening, there are three tents and a handful of people outside Best Buy in Normal.
There is also at least one tent and a family outside Sears at Eastland Mall in Bloomington.
Tom Gross of Mackinaw is one of the early shoppers calling a sidewalk home for the next few days.
"My job affords me to have Wednesday, Thursday and Friday off, and I have vacation days I had to use. So what else am I going to do with my time?" he said.
It is at least the sixth year Gross has camped out ahead of Black Friday at Best Buy. This year he is the first in line.
"I got here about 2 p.m. Monday," he said.
There is one reason he is waiting so patiently and intently for the electronics store to open.
"I'm going to look for that 55'' television for $400. That's the one thing," he said.
In the meantime, Gross is finding ways to stay busy. For instance, he got a visit from a friend he met in line last year.
"She just brought McDonalds breakfast,so that was cool," he said laughing.
Gross is also armed with some things you met not expect, like a pepper spray to stay safe, a face mask and ear plugs.
"It gets pretty loud out here and it's very bright with the lights," he explained.
At Sears, the first tent in line belongs to a Twin Cities family enjoying the experience together.
John Schmidgall said, "I was in the Marine Corps, so I'm used to camping out. I'm used to sleeping out under the stars."
This family is also waiting for a television and getting creative while they wait for the store to open on Thursday night.
"We have board games. I have a laptop where I have a hotspot on my phone, so we get on the Internet on our laptop," said Michelle Karber.
The family also has a heater, blanket, small propane tank, chairs and a cooler to store food and drinks.
The reason they and Gross are camping out early is two-fold. One, they want to save money.
"Those TVs are $299 and the regular price is $900. That's $600 I'm saving," Schmidgall said.
But they also want to make memories they say will last a lifetime.
"My kids said it was one of their biggest memories so that's why I do it," Gross.
Karber said, "I do it so my kids can have a good Christmas every year."
But you might be wondering how the people are using the bathroom, taking a shower and brushing their teeth.
They're relying on friends and family for their houses or any place nearby that's open.
So to make sure they have a spot in line, they are already camping out at two big box stores in the Twin Cities.
As of Tuesday evening, there are three tents and a handful of people outside Best Buy in Normal.
There is also at least one tent and a family outside Sears at Eastland Mall in Bloomington.
Tom Gross of Mackinaw is one of the early shoppers calling a sidewalk home for the next few days.
"My job affords me to have Wednesday, Thursday and Friday off, and I have vacation days I had to use. So what else am I going to do with my time?" he said.
It is at least the sixth year Gross has camped out ahead of Black Friday at Best Buy. This year he is the first in line.
"I got here about 2 p.m. Monday," he said.
There is one reason he is waiting so patiently and intently for the electronics store to open.
"I'm going to look for that 55'' television for $400. That's the one thing," he said.
In the meantime, Gross is finding ways to stay busy. For instance, he got a visit from a friend he met in line last year.
"She just brought McDonalds breakfast,so that was cool," he said laughing.
Gross is also armed with some things you met not expect, like a pepper spray to stay safe, a face mask and ear plugs.
"It gets pretty loud out here and it's very bright with the lights," he explained.
At Sears, the first tent in line belongs to a Twin Cities family enjoying the experience together.
John Schmidgall said, "I was in the Marine Corps, so I'm used to camping out. I'm used to sleeping out under the stars."
This family is also waiting for a television and getting creative while they wait for the store to open on Thursday night.
"We have board games. I have a laptop where I have a hotspot on my phone, so we get on the Internet on our laptop," said Michelle Karber.
The family also has a heater, blanket, small propane tank, chairs and a cooler to store food and drinks.
The reason they and Gross are camping out early is two-fold. One, they want to save money.
"Those TVs are $299 and the regular price is $900. That's $600 I'm saving," Schmidgall said.
But they also want to make memories they say will last a lifetime.
"My kids said it was one of their biggest memories so that's why I do it," Gross.
Karber said, "I do it so my kids can have a good Christmas every year."
But you might be wondering how the people are using the bathroom, taking a shower and brushing their teeth.
They're relying on friends and family for their houses or any place nearby that's open.
