WKOW 27: Madison, WI Breaking News, Weather and SportsShopping new addition to Thanksgiving traditions

Shopping new addition to Thanksgiving traditions

MADISON (WKOW) -- Madison area retailers hoping to get a jump on the holiday weekend shopping dollar opened for business on Thanksgiving, with some discounted items on a par with what's traditionally offered on Black Friday.

At Shopko's store on the city's west side, there was a Black Friday-style promotion.   The first one hundred shoppers received a freebie:   appropriately, a pumpkin pie.

Shopko, Old Navy, and Gander Mountain were among retailers with Thanksgiving hours, with Walmart stores not only open on Thanksgiving, but remaining open all the way through Black Friday.

In some cases, shoppers turned out at stores closed for the holiday to be among the first to get inside on Black Friday.   At the Best Buy store on Madison's west side, around fifty people stretched along the store's entire front block just before midnight.   Several pitched tents to try to weather the sub-freezing overnight temperatures.   

Gabe Bautista, 18, a UW-Madison student spoke for many waiting shoppers in describing his motivation for spending the night outside waiting to shop.

"It's a laptop."

Best Buy advertised a Sony laptop that has carried a retail price of nearly $1,000 for $399.99 on Black Friday.   Advertising stated a minimum of ten computers would be available when the store opened at 5 a.m., but did not specify the total amount of inventory.

Susan Buchanan and her daughter Hannah from Verona both wanted the Sony laptop model to use for school.

Buchanan said she's returning to classes as a result of the current, tough economic times.

"I've been unemployed the entire year.   Whatever we can save is helpful."

Waiting shoppers said shortly before store doors opened Friday, people in line outside were to receive tickets to establish a shopping pecking order.

Bautista acknowledged there was the chance the system of establishing shopping priority could go awry.   "The deal is worth the risk."

Those who did shop on Thanksgiving told 27 News they were mindful of their budgets as a result of the recessionary times, but were not sure if they would spend less this holiday season than last year.   The National Retail Federation said consumers on average would spend approximately $25 less on holiday-related shopping this year than last year.