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Grey Thursday Helps Spread Out Crowds on Black Friday

npr.org

Area malls saw a shift in black Friday crowds due to the rising popularity of Thanksgiving Day shopping or "Grey Thursday."

Manager of Eastview Mall, Mike Kauffman said Thursday evening shopping is gaining in popularity, but hasn’t minimized the significance of black Friday just yet.

"The introduction of Thanksgiving shopping at some of the stores has had a little bit of impact on black Friday, but it’s still a huge day and it’s really a nice symbolic start to the holiday season as well."

Kauffman said while they did have a number of stores open Thursday evening, they wanted to make sure each store had the option to close.

"We make a conscientious effort not to be open, for the mall not to be open on Thanksgiving Day. We do feel it’s important for those stores that wish to do so, to have their employees have the day off. But again, it’s a competitive retail environment out there and we understand those stores that want to get an early start.”

Mike Wilmot is the manager of Marketplace Mall and said that Thanksgiving Day shopping helps spread out the crowds, but people still turn out early for those big department store deals.

"Best Buy is one of our sister properties next door. That parking lot was jammed from 3 in the afternoon till I left last night at 11pm. It was just, you couldn’t find a parking place. People were parking in the mall parking lot and walking over to Best Buy and Target."

Despite grey Thursday and online shopping deals, Wilmot expects to see large crowds turn out all weekend at Marketplace Mall.