While clusters of people made their way to major retailers in Dickson City, small businesses in downtown Scranton were offering deals, DJs and a chance to take pictures in a photo booth.
“A lot of customers enjoy coming out on Thanksgiving night,” said Stephanie Sebastianelli, owner of Burlap and Bourbon.
The Spruce Street men’s shop was open from 6 to 10 p.m. on Thursday.
Ms. Sebastianelli was inspired by her Wyoming Avenue neighbor, Natalie Kearney, owner of Runway Luxury Boutique.
For the past eight years, Ms. Kearney opened her business on Thanksgiving night.
First beginning at midnight before the hour kept getting “earlier and earlier,” Ms. Kearney said.
This year around 5:45 p.m. a line started forming outside of her business.
She opened the doors fifteen minutes early to keep her customers from standing in the cold.
Along with 40% off footwear and 30% off handbags, a DJ was spinning tunes from a stage in the window as customers snapped photos in the 570 Photobooth.
“I love my business and I love to give back to customers,” she said.
What keeps Ms. Kearney opening early is that each year she always has a “fabulous turnout.”
“Everyone loves a discount and a good sale,” she said.
New Laundry on Washington Avenue also joined Burlap and Bourbon and Runway and opened after dinner on Thursday.
In Dickson City parking lots were flooded as people with packed bags walked to their cars in the Target, Kohl’s, Best Buy and Viewmont Mall parking lots.
The doors at Target opened at 6 p.m., said Nicole Molino, executive team leader.
A large line snaked around the outside of the store before the opening, she said, but everyone was inside by 6:30 p.m.
“Guests have been complimenting us,” she said.
They were impressed with the speed of check out lines and the helpful staff, she said.
The crew at Target “plans months in advance,” for the Black Friday shopping season, she said
“It adds to our success,” she said.
Hot items at Target this year were LED TVs; it was the same at Best Buy and Kohl’s.
Gingerly placing a 40-inch flat screen TV in to his green SUV outside of Kohl’s, Mike Howley, Scranton, said he couldn’t pass up the $350 deal.
At the Viewmont Mall a line filed into JCPenny as shoppers stopped to take flyers. And at the Aerie shoppers were treated to not just 40% off but also free small bottles of water, candy canes and mint chocolate candies.
Standing outside the mall, which also opened at 6 p.m., Rebecca Keaton, Mayfield, was ready to shop for clothes for her brother and candles from Yankee Candle and Bath & Body Works.
Ms. Keaton’s turkey was packed and refrigerated by the time she made it to the mall.
“I’d rather go now and be done,” she said.
Contact the writer:
kbolus@timesshamrock.com, @kbolusTT on Twitter.