Friday, November 28th, 2014
Ready, set, shop!
Shop-Vacs, tools and pet items top local shoppers' lists
By Kathy Thompson
Photo by Kathy Thompson/The Daily Standard
Shoppers fill up their carts this morning during the Black Friday sale at Menards in Celina. While checkout lines looked long, shoppers said the wait to get through was only about 20 minutes from start to finish. Shoppers seemed to be looking mostly for Shop-Vacs, tools and dog items.
CELINA - The Menards store and parking lot were packed with shoppers eager to get Black Friday deals at 5:30 a.m. today to kick off the Christmas shopping season. Many shoppers said they look forward to the annual excitement while others said the atmosphere is just crazy.
Amy Curry of Celina said she goes Black Friday shopping every year, as she hustled into the store.
"I'm looking for a fireplace and a 'Frozen' watch," a grinning Curry said. "I go every year, so I'm pretty used to the crowds."
Mindy Kovar of Celina was busy putting a saw blade and Cricut Explore Design-and-Cut system into her car's trunk. She shops for deals every year, Kovar said.
Chris Rose of Rockford said he wasn't really excited about getting up so early.
"I had to get up at 4 a.m.," Rose said. "I really prefer Cyber Mondays so I don't have to deal with all the people and driving but I did want to get some items and small gifts. But really, this is just too early."
Coming out of the store with a cartload of dog supplies, Tyler Price of St. Marys said he shops every Black Friday and doesn't mind the bustle.
"I got in and out pretty quick this year," Price said and laughed as he juggled the large dog beds on his cart. "I really just came with a group of people and wasn't going to get much but ended up with all sorts of treats and toys for my dog. It's been worth it."
Also grabbing dog beds for their two German shepherds and a cartfull of tools were father and son Rick and Ben Cook of Wapakoneta.
"We had to get up at 4 a.m.," Rick Cook said. "But I got the log splitter I wanted and the Shop-Vac. Then, of course we had to get the dog beds. Except mine won't use one, so I guess Ben is going to get both."
Malinda Bupp of St. Marys said she had shopped Black Friday sales last year and shopped on Thursday for the first time this year.
"Yesterday was crazy," Bupp said. "I had to wait for an hour in line at a store in St. Marys last night. But this morning, I was only in line for about 15 minutes."
Bupp had to laugh because she only came to Menards this morning for only two items, yet she ended up with a cartload.
"I really wanted the Shop-Vac but couldn't resist the dog bed and other gifts. The deals are really good," Bupp said.
Julie Shaneyfelt drove from Berne, Ind., to shop at Menards this morning but said she refused to shop the sales on Thanksgiving.
"Thanksgiving is about being with family," Shaneyfelt said. "And really, I've only shopped Black Friday a couple of times. We had to get up at about 5 a.m. I guess that's not bad. We're here for the tablets they have."
Her daughter Jozelyn, 11, and Jessica White were shopping with Holmes.
Holmes wanted to get a hope chest she saw advertised but she and White had the same opinion about shopping on Thanksgiving.
"No way," Holmes said. "That's for family and food."
But not everyone felt the same about taking time out from their families on Thanksgiving night.
A large number of shoppers went into Dunham's Sports Store Thursday night.
Deanna Bechtol of Celina and her 10-year-old daughter, Katie, were shopping for a pair of boots for Katie.
"I also want a mini iPad for Christmas ... and some sweatshirts," Katie said toward her mother as she fiddled with a sparkly silver bow on her jacket.
"This is the second time we've been shopping on Thanksgiving," Deanna Bechtol said. "This is our first stop of the night, and we'll go again tomorrow."
Connie Roof of Rockford watched her two sons and husband hustle into Dunham's and said this was her second Thanksgiving shopping trip. She doesn't mind taking time out of the holiday to shop with her family, she said.
At Walmart Thursday night, Tina Diller of Coldwater had a cartload of games for her children's Xbox.
It was her second Thanksgiving Day shopping trip and she thought the crowd was smaller than last year's, she said.
But Britteny Hart of Celina said she thought the crowds were larger than last year's and said "it was crazy."
Hart said she was drawn out by a great deal on a carpet shampoo machine and Tupperware.
With Hart was Samantha Klostermann of Lima, who was thrilled to get a 50-inch television.
"I got here at 4:30 p.m.," Klostermann said. "They only had so many of them and I wanted to make sure I got one."
Sandy Ebright, 18, of Celina, wasn't thrilled with the crowds.
"I had a lady try to take something right out of my hands," Ebright said. "I got stepped on, run over with a cart and people are just rude. I'm not sure I'll do this again."
James Booth of New Bremen was waiting on his wife and children in the parking lot and said he's disappointed people shop on Thanksgiving.
"This is a holiday that is supposed to be about family," Booth said. "But the wife and kids wanted a 65-inch TV, so here we are. But, me, I'd rather be home. I think this is just sad."
Chris Johnson of Columbus stopped into the store after visiting relatives in Celina and said he felt shopping on Thanksgiving "sucked."
"This is the first time I've done it on a Thanksgiving and it's ridiculous. I mean I got a good deal on Beats headphones and some iPads, but the crowd is just crazy," Johnson said.
