Shoppers Line Up Early For Deals On Brown Thursday
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Traditionally, Thanksgiving is a day to relax at home with family and a belly rub to signify the end of a great meal.
Or, you could wake up early and shop.
So, is Thursday the new Black Friday? Some say yes.
It's not the mad rush like Black Fridays of years past, but it is a trend that's catching on.
"Never done it before, but gotta do it for deals," Brad Davis said.
"It's a 46-inch TV for $300. I mean, I can't beat it. I'll stand out in a blizzard for it," Tim O'Neill said.
O'neill was first in line because he feared a mob of shoppers. However, only a dozen or so joined him before the doors opened.
"There is a demand for it by our customers and members," Kmart Manager Joshua Englert said.
Englert opened up the McIntyre Square store at 6 a.m. Thanksgiving morning letting in a handful of shoppers.
While more and more stores and malls are choosing to open on Thanksgiving, Kmart really is the trendsetter here.
"It's absolutely been a holiday tradition for Kmart. We've been open for 23 years on Thanksgiving. I really enjoy it. It feels like the kick off to the holiday season," Englert said.
While some people may disagree with Thanksgiving Day shopping. The National Retail Federation says people are buying into it. They estimate that over 25 million people will do some shopping on Thanksgiving, most of them millennials.
Experts agree, but KDKA-TV's Heather Abraham found a wide range in age of shoppers at Kmart early Thursday morning.
Brad Davis from Shaler was one of them and admitted this was his first Brown Thursday experience and thought he was out of luck when the tablet he wanted was gone.
"Actually, the one I wanted was sold out, but they were nice enough to substitute with a better one," Davis said. "Happy I got up and came out."
You May Also Be Interested In These Latest News Stories
Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter
