Thursday hours, online shopping dilute Black Friday

A gray Black Friday

Nick and Heather McKague shop housewares at Pier One Imports with their daughter Willow at Wildwood Crossing Friday morning.
Nick and Heather McKague shop housewares at Pier One Imports with their daughter Willow at Wildwood Crossing Friday morning.

On the rainy mid-morning of Black Friday, you didn't see Jefferson City shoppers shoving each other out of the way in a frenzy to get the best deals.

In fact, many people out and about at Wildwood Crossing went during the day to avoid the early Black Friday madness.

Jefferson City resident Susan Shields had half a dozen shops she wanted to hit on Black Friday, including Pier 1 Imports, where she casually perused standing lamps. But said she didn't come specifically for the deals.

She said she wasn't one to stand in line for hours like some people do Thanksgiving night.

"It's much better to do it leisurely," Shields said. "The waiting in line for hours, I think it's more for the community and the hunt."

While there was a constant flow of shoppers coming and going, the stores at the shopping center were more similar to a busy Saturday. The lines weren't unbearably long, as one might expect on Black Friday.

Liz Vieth, general manager at Old Navy in Jefferson City, said it's the first year the store extended Black Friday deals three days, starting on Wednesday.

Old Navy stores nationwide began opening their doors on Thanksgiving in 2009. The extra Black Friday shopping time created more chaos as people zipped around trying to get all their shopping done, Vieth said.

Having the deals start on Wednesday has cut down a lot of the Black Friday mania.

"It's good to get people in and out so they can spend more time with their families," Vieth said.

Many agreed the shops weren't nearly as busy as they expected. Jefferson City resident Janis Pirner said she and her grandson went to Old Navy to get a jacket for him. They were in and out in a matter of minutes.

"I usually go out after the crowds have settled," Pirner said. "The traffic has been a little crazy, but it's not too bad out."

Online deals may have also thinned the crowds this year. Brianna Murphy was searching for a Christmas gift for her mother at Barnes & Noble, but she said she rarely goes Black Friday shopping.

"I do a lot of online shopping, especially with Amazon," Murphy said. "I don't want to have to wait in line."

Nick and Heather McKague said they also do most of their shopping online. The couple walked around Pier 1 Imports Friday with their month-and-a-half-old baby, Willow, looking for holiday-ware for their new house.

Heather McKague was among those who braved the crowds Thanksgiving night. She said rue21 and Target were probably the busiest stores she experienced during the night. In Target, the check-out line wrapped all the way to the frozen food section, she said.

Nick McKague said he wouldn't stand in line for hours just to save a couple bucks. Last year, he shopped on Black Friday to buy a new washer and dryer, which was worth it to him because he saved a lot of money. But it isn't something that appeals to him every year.

"I'm not going to stand in line all night so I can buy five TVs just because they're $100," he said.