Royal Purple

Issue date: 11/18/09 Section: Lifestyle

Media Credit: Seth Anderson

It is the day made famous by door-busters, deals and downright chaos.

Black Friday, whether looked at as a joyous day of deals and steals, or a headache wrapped in a bow, has been a part of the American lifestyle since the late 1960s.

The famous day-after-Thanksgiving starts the holiday shopping season with a bang, and on occasion, an injury or two.

Many retail stores open their doors in the wee hours of the morning to entice ambitious shoppers with extravagant deals that are almost unrealistic.

The shopping season starts at 4 a.m. at Kohl's and Sears, and is closely followed by Target and Best Buy at 5 a.m. The lines that form for these deals, however, may start as early as 12 hours in advance.

Merchandise from every category is heavily discounted on Black Friday, but some of the major brands carried in electronics, house ware and clothing are some of the most sought after among deals.

Leaked ads for Target show appliances like coffeemakers and toasters as cheap as $3, and have price cuts on iPods and 32" TVs for under $300. Kohl's is offering a GPS unit for $69.99, and have slashed most jewelry and clothes prices by at least a quarter of their original retail value.

Despite these major deals, most students do not speak fondly of the day. Some even scoff at the idea of staying the night outside in the hopes of obtaining a great deal of a variety of items.

"I purposely stay at home," freshman Nicole Haska said.

Senior Josh McCoy reflected on how he had friends who stayed out in tents in front of Best Buy on Thanksgiving evening so they could have at the deals inside.

But that does not stop some people from taking a more strategic view of the shopping holiday.

"You have to time it right," senior Kristin Grooms said. "As long as you know what you're looking for, its okay. However, I think it's crazy to do all your shopping in one day."

Although a majority of the population may be nonchalant about the competitive shopping day in casual conversation, there are those who blossom into the fierce bargainers and bargainistas retailers know and love.

Junior Kelly Bruss is employed at Kohl's and recalls her previous Black Fridays with a sense of awe.

"It's pretty crazy," Bruss said. "People trample other people, and yell at the top of their lungs. Within a minute to a minute-and-a-half, all of the carts are gone."

Continued...

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