Hawaii was in the midst of the Black Friday frenzy today as thousands of shoppers waited in long lines and cashed out the latest deals.
HONOLULU (Island News) — Damien Pires flew to Oahu from Molokai just to wait 12 hours to get in to his girlfriend’s favorite store at Ala Moana Center.
“I got in about 8:30, checked if there was a line, no line was here, went to Zippy’s, had dinner, went to the cell phone parking lot, took a quick nap,” Pires said. “And then I got here about 2 ‘o clock in the morning and I didn’t see anybody, but people were sleeping on the ground.”
The line of hard-core shoppers started at around 8 ‘o clock on Thanksgiving night at local boutique Lexbreezy to scoop up new releases, door busters and in-store specials being promoted all weekend long.
“They stood in line, they waited outside for us and we just opened our doors at 8 a.m.,” said Lexbreezy owner Alexis Akiona. “I feel like Black Friday is back and it’s just the energy around Black Friday is so great with locals.”
Shoppers were also lined up at the crack of dawn at the Waikele Premium Outlets to snag some of the best deals of the holiday season.
“It’s been pretty crazy. Our outdoor exterior line it’s all the way out from the other stores around the building and as you can see it’s very crowded, but very, very fun and exciting,” said Nai Okudara, Coach Outlet assistant manager. “For some it’s a tradition for them.”
For Brooke-Lynn Louis of Makakilo, it’s a family affair.
“We’re off, we love to spend time together as a family and it’s just another way of bonding and making more memories,” Louis said.
Her family’s been shopping together on Black Friday her entire life.
Even when times are hard, “It’s not about the price of the item even with this economy, but how happy it makes someone,” added Nani Estevez. “It makes them feels special that you went out and you bought it for them and you took the time and you waited in line and you were there at dark thirty at 3:30 in the morning, so it means something.”
