CORPUS CHRISTI — While La Palmera Mall is busy this Black Friday, the crowds here seem more like a busy weekend than the biggest shopping day of the year.
You never know what you'll find at the mall on Black Friday. This year, shoppers were stunned to find elbow room.
“It's normally chaos,” said shopper Kristen Colla. “This is kind of controlled chaos today.”
In fact, the crowds at the mall Friday were tame in comparison to the crowds who hit stores after Thanksgiving dinner Thursday.
“Last night was worse,” said shopper Adrianna Brown. “We went out last night, Walmart was awesome; we got to target and oh my gosh. It was like a zig-zag up and down the aisles and the lines, but here, not so bad.”
Those who did venture out found plenty of bargains.
“You're getting some good deals,” said shopper Brandon Perez. “You're getting 40% off, 50% off, I'd say that's a good deal.”
Many shoppers checked items off their gift lists, while others couldn't wait for Christmas.
“I've gotten so much stuff,” said Ledger Colla. “I got this jacket, the shoes I'm wearing, two other pairs of shoes, three shirts, and two more jackets.”
Smaller crowds meant more time to stop and browse.
“We can actually be productive and get some shopping done without having our heads spin and running for the door,” said Kristen Colla.
While some shoppers skip Black Friday in favor of Cyber Monday, many families have made a trip to the mall a Thanksgiving weekend tradition.
“Now that my daughter is getting older it's kind of starting to be,” said Brown. “She loves it, and she likes to spend my money.”
Retailers hope this Black Friday kicks off a successful holiday sales season, one that leaves them in the black for the year.
