Black Friday Entices South Bay Shoppers

They came. They saw. They shopped.

Thousands of shoppers in the South Bay got a head start on the holiday shopping season as major retailers opened their doors earlier than ever this year on Black Friday.

It is a day infamous for huge sales, long lines, and shoppers who are willing to wait multiple days in those lines to snag a rare deal.

Outside of in the South Bay Shopping Center, hundreds of eager shoppers waiting for a midnight opening snaked through the parking garage and eventually doubled over themselves back in front of the store. 

At the front of the line was 17-year-old Derrell Williams of Torrance who arrived at the store around 11:00 a.m. to get first pick at a new flat screen television, an Xbox, a digital camera, new headphones, and a Blu-Ray player or his mother.

His strategy? "My friends and family," he said. 

Waiting behind Williams was a small army of friends and relatives with a set game plan on who was going to grab which item once the doors opened.  Some held maps of the store with hand written notes on the exact item and quantity they were tasked to grab.

When it is all over, Williams estimated he would save around $500, and his 13 hours of waiting outside on Thanksgiving were worth it for the savings. 

As the clock struck midnight, audible cheers could be heard in the chilly night air as dozens of stores officially opened for Black Friday shopping.

Many of those cheers came from the entrances to the where more stores than ever opened their doors at midnight.

Mickey Marraffino, marketing director for the South Bay Galleria, said that around 30 stores, including two major anchor stores, decided to open at 12:00 a.m. this year compared to only 1 store last year.

Marraffino also said that in all her years working in malls, she has never seen such drastic deals.  "I have seen 50 percent off one item, but never the entire store," she said. 

Sitting in the food court, taking a break from shopping was Deede Robertson and her daughter, Nicole.  The duo originally planned on checking out the deals at Walmart but did an immediate u-turn and came to the Galleria when they saw the line.  

Robertson held a bag from Bath and Body Works filled with lotions, gels, and other products that she purchased after waiting outside for about 2 hours.  She says she saved exactly $103.50. 

Was staying up 'til midnight worth it for the pair?

"I don't think so," said the admittedly worn out Nicole.

"I do," her mother snapped back with a laugh.