Chicago Area Local News

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (CBS) ― If you're resting your feet after a long day of shopping, you're not alone.

Between Friday and Sunday the National Retail Federation estimates 134 million Americans will shop for holiday gifts.

Shoppers in the Chicago area were certainly coming out in droves in search of bargains. The final numbers aren't in yet, but officials expected that 400,000 people will shop at Woodfield Mall this weekend.

They opened the stores at 5 a.m., an hour earlier than usual. So far, it looks like this Black Friday will be even more profitable than last year.

Debbie Gianokopolous and her sister Renee Johnson wore matching shirts expressing their strategy for this year: "Shop 'Til You Drop."

"We have our names on them and we shop from six in the morning, until sometimes 11 or 12 at night," Gianokopolous said.

Johnson said they've got lots of good deals, "But the best was the TV actually. … We got a 32-inch for $246."

Shoppers at Woodfield Mall struggled to find the few remaining available parking spots Friday morning and there was little breathing room getting from store to store. But they said it's worth the rewards.

"I saved about $500 so far today," said shopper Jennifer Wallin. "We've been here a couple hours and everything is 50 percent off, at least here, yeah."

Some people would say it's crazy to come out shopping on Black Friday.

"No, it's our favorite day," said Sharon Mammosser. "I take my grandchildren. I let them buy whatever they want. We have a very good time."

For many, it was as much about a family tradition as it was about the bargains.

"We come every year for about the last five or six years and it's much busier today," said Mammosser. "I don't know if the prices are any better, but it's much busier."

The deal hunt begins every "Black Friday."

The question: Did people find what they were after?

Shoppers CBS 2 News spoke with Friday night said they did find what they were looking for.

But there are those items stores tease, and have in limited supply – just to get folks through the door early. Retail experts said not all of them get what they wait in line hours for, but the stores get what they're after: customers who might buy other stuff.

If scanners and registers make the holiday music retailers want to hear, there seemed to be a symphony at the Gap on Michigan Avenue. "Buy-One-Get-One-Free" deals lured big "Black Friday" crowds.

Store director Wendy Hohman said, "We've had very long lines at registers all day. We have all the registers going to keep up with customers."

She says they did last year, too, but this year felt busier to her.

After 5 p.m., lines were still long, but customers were satisfied. They said they were finding the discounts they targeted.

It seems the recession may have prompted more people to hit the stores in search of Black Friday deals.

"We started off at 4:30 this morning and we had already 3,200 cars in the parking lot, which is definitely a lot stronger than last year," said Woodfield General Manager Marc Stritch.

As a result, retailers were happy, but quite frenzied. How hard is it to work when it's so busy?

"It's really hard," said J.C. Penney Sales Associate Courtney Wilson. "Because clothes are everywhere, people are everywhere. They want to know where stuff is, they want to get it fast. They want to get it done."

"These pants I got 60 percent off," said shopper Pradeep Batchu. "I got them for $24. Actual cost is $70."

Are those a gift?

"No, they're all for me," he said.

Stritch said they had great success last year on Black Friday, but then the rest of the season fizzled out. The American Retail Association predicted that holiday shopping overall will be down one percent from last year.

That's why the final numbers for Black Friday shoppers are so significant. It might turn out to be the biggest shopping day this season.

Retail analyst Steven Keith Platt called this year's shoppers focused and frugal. They're looking for deals he said, but ultimately they're going to spend.

"They've been depressed quite some time. They feel better about the economy," said Platt.

CBS 2's Susan Carlson and Kristyn Hartman contributed to this report.

(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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