Shoppers Score Holiday Deals On Black Friday
ROBINSON TWP. (KDKA) -- Shoppers at the Mall at Robinson are out in full force this Black Friday on very little sleep, racing to get the best deals while they can.
Some folks say they're even pushing to stay up for 24 hours straight. Melissa Gatchel isn't letting a little bit of fatigue get her down.
"Oh, we're out Black Friday shopping trying to set a record 23.5 hours, trying to go for a full 24 hours this year," Melissa Gatchel, of Ohio, said.
Gatchel is part of the Black Friday Crew. Her daughter Logan is the brains behind the idea.
"They've been at it 20 plus years so I thought it was a necessary time for the shirts," Logan Gatchel said. "Once we graduate high school we're officially members of the Black Friday Crew."
The Black Friday tradition also continues for the Steele family. They've been shopping since 4 a.m.
"We actually have a lot of fun when we go out together and we go out and basically find as much as we can in one day and call it a day for the next year," Chicago resident Brian Steele said.
Steele's 9-year-old daughter Addison was excited about her new purchases.
"Jojo has this new line and a bunch of new bows and a football purse. It's really cute and it really describes me," Addison Steele said.
While folks shopped, other people like Frank Jenkins decided to take it easy.
"Waiting on my wife, mother-in-law and sister-in-law," Frank Jenkins of Ohio said.
Jenkins left his home in Zanesville around 2 a.m. and isn't sure when they'll be done shopping.
"I have no choice," Jenkins said.
For the Black Friday Crew, it's all about finding ways to power through.
"We just kind of keep going. You get your second winds, a lot of them," Pittsburgh resident Megan Beebe said.
The Mall at Robinson will be open until 9 p.m.
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As for specifically kids toys, the Toys "R" Us in Cranberry was open 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving for those searching for the hottest gifts.
Workers told KDKA's Christine D'Antonio people were lined up outside waiting for doors to open. Items were up to 40 to 50 percent off.
Some pulling all-nighters like David and Alice Navadeh came in pajama, like they have for every Black Friday they can remember.
"Most other guys I know don't do this, but it's a family tradition and we certainly enjoy it," David Navadeh said.
"I mean there's nothing like coming out at like the wee hours of the morning and having everything be open and seeing all the people. It's an experience," Alice Navadeh said.
Overnight, Grove City Outlets offered deep discounts, filling the parking lot to near capacity.
"I do see a lot of stronger markdowns, a lot of stores doing, as I said - blanketed percentages off the entire store, whether it be 50 percent, 60 percent, 70 percent off - and for this Black Friday period before 10 a.m. they're doing an additional on top of that," said general manager Carmen DeRose.
Toys "R" Us will be open from now until Saturday night
