Black Friday shoppers keep tradition alive in southeast Wisconsin
RICHFIELD, Wis. - While online shopping has changed Black Friday over the years, many families in southeast Wisconsin are keeping the tradition alive.
"We typically go out on Black Friday," said Samantha Jennings, who noted it looks a little different year after year. "The deals are starting before Black Friday, and you can do a lot of it online."
The Jennings family likes to do Black Friday the old school way – hitting stores like Cabela's in Richfield to search for the best deals.
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"We used to get up at like 3 a.m., 4 a.m. and go hang out and wait in line," Jennings said.
But not every Black Friday regular is ditching the caffeine and camp outs.
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"I got here at about 2:30 a.m., and I don’t know when I will leave today," said Richard Jobke, Cabela's co-manager. "When we open the door, you kinda get to see everybody come up and get in line and get ready."
Jobke said that line was made up of more than 250 people before the store opened Friday.
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"There were a couple of years where it kind of slowed down a bit, but leading into this year and last year, people are ready to shop," he said.
Jobke also thinks it's not just about the deals – but the people and the interactions. And for families like the Jennings, it is about quality time.
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"The cashiers and things were all waiting for someone to come to them," said shopper Gloria Hale. "There's no crowd in there."
Hale said she usually tries to avoid shopping on Black Friday, but will try to score deals online. She said she was able to find some good deals in-store for herself and her grandkids this year.