The Northwest Indiana residents who shopped Black Friday at Highland Grove said while the sales and crowd sizes have shifted they enjoy the tradition behind the shopping holiday.
Ruthanne Brosseau, wearing a headband with antlers, was out shopping at 2:45 a.m. Friday with her daughter and daughter-in-law, who also wore headbands with antlers, to take advantage of some sales.
Notebook in hand, Ruthanne Brosseau had a list of stores with what items to buy at each store. The three of them started at Lowe’s, where they had good deals on mini toolboxes, Ruthanne Brosseau said.
After Lowe’s, they stopped at Walmart and Menards, Ruthanne Brosseau said. The items they bought were a mixture of Christmas presents and items for themselves, she said.
By 8:30 a.m., they were headed into Target. Their plan was to buy permanent markers and a motorized toothbrush, Ruthanne Brosseau said, confirming with the list.
Abby Brosseau, her daughter, said with a laugh that they clearly had big shopping plans at Target. She said while the deals have shifted to online and begin sooner, it’s a family tradition to go shopping in the early hours of Black Friday morning.
“It’s a tradition. It’s fun,” Abby Brosseau said. “You get to spend time with family.”
But over the years, Ruthanne Brosseau said she’s noticed that fewer and fewer people go out shopping in the early morning hours of Black Friday.
“It’s boring. There was parking at Walmart. It was sad. It’s not what it used to be,” Ruthanne Brosseau said.
Holly Haitsma, of Highland, went Black Friday shopping with her two daughters and two nieces, and they started their morning at 5 a.m., she said.
Stephanie Sorenson, Haitsma’s niece, said her best purchase of Black Friday was the Taylor Swift Eras Tour book, which was exclusively sold at Target. Holding a Kohl’s bag, Sorenson said the department store had a good deal on a knife set she bought.
But Sorenson, 27, said over the years she’s seen fewer people out shopping on Black Friday. The Griffith resident said she remembers weaving through aisles waiting to check out at Target and this year there was barely a line.
Black Friday shopping has been a 20-year family tradition, Haitsma said, so she enjoys going to stores to see what the sales are.
“We just do it for the nostalgia,” Haitsma said. “I don’t do it with anything to buy in mind. I just shop.”
Betsey Bowie and her daughter Angela Kerbs walked out of Target with multiple bags, talking and laughing. They started their morning at 5 a.m. shopping at Kohl’s, Bowie said.
Most stores start Black Friday deals ahead of time, which has translated into fewer crowds the day of, Kerbs said. But Bowie said it has become their tradition to shop together on Black Friday.
“We just go and have fun,” Bowie said. “We do it every year, and we have a blast.”
Tom Cappas wheeled out a red cart with a 55-inch television angled out of it. His wife asked him to go to Target to pick up the Taylor Swift Eras Tour book when he noticed that the television was on sale for $170.
“Mine is a little more expensive, but that’s okay,” Cappas said with a laugh.
Cappas, 30, said he remembers shopping with his mom when he was younger, but Black Friday seems to be more calm now.
“Nobody is waiting in line to check out,” Cappas, of St. John, said. “Online sales spread it out.”
Kylie Gannon pulled into the parking space for pick up items at Target and two employees came out with a 55-inch television, which they swiftly loaded into the trunk of her car.
Gannon, 27, said she’s needed a larger television for three years. When she saw that she could get a good deal for a television at Target – between a birthday deal, a deal to spend $120 and get $20 off and an extra 20% off – she decided to make the purchase.
Growing up, Gannon said she remembers going to Toys ‘R’ Us with her parents and the environment being hectic.
“I just remember how crazy it used to be,” Gannon, of St. John, said. “It’s a lot different now. This is nice too.”
akukulka@post-trib.com
