MONROE - "All right, folks, here we go."
Store manager Ron Fager's words to his associates at Wal-Mart on Friday morning marked the beginning of "Black Friday," the unofficial first day of the Christmas buying season, that this year arrived while the U.S. economy teeters on the brink of collapse.
Fager and assistant manager Sara Voegel unlocked the doors at 5 a.m. Friday for shoppers who had been waiting in line, some since 2 a.m.
About 200 waiting shopping carts were gone in fewer than 10 minutes. Associates brought more carts to meet the demand.
Fager said it was the largest crowd he has seen since he began working at the Monroe store seven years ago. The parking lot was full, and vehicles were parallel parking against the far curb of the lot.
The first shopper had his purchase and was out the door again by 5:05 a.m. Jon Saxer, Monroe, had a Barbie Jeep for $88 for his 2-year-old daughter.
Electronic devices, especially 32-, 42- and 50-inch flat screen TVs, selling for $388, $598 and $798, were the hottest-selling items. The early-bird specials were good until 11 a.m.
Other items people were looking for were Blue-Ray DVD players and the Xbox 360 game system.
The store had twenty 42-inch TVs, which sold out in 10 minutes.
Tim Donovan, Monroe, had help from Fager loading his 50-inch TV at 5:06 a.m. Donovan said he got to the store early just to buy the TV.
"It's my gift to me ... and my wife," he said.
He said he had been waiting to buy the item "for a while."
But more traditional Christmas items still are popular. One couple had two bikes among their other purchases, and were out the door by 5:10 a.m..
Standing outside before the doors opened this morning, first in line were Theresa Robertson, 22, her sister Jessi Seffrood, 28 and their mother Jayne Seffrood, all of Gratiot, dressed in heavy winter coats.
The arrived at 2 a.m. It's a family tradition, they said.
But the women said they were there to shop for other members of their family who couldn't make the sale.
"We're Santa's elves," Robertson said,
Robertson said she went to bed at 7 p.m. Thursday and took today off from work.
One item they were after was the Xbox, selling for $199.
Jeremy Meighan, 26, Monroe, was at the store by 3:15 a.m. He had a light coat on and a hood tied tight around his face. He was stomping a bit, to keep warm.
Meighan said he came early to get "a TV or something."
"I want a TV, but the wife wants a camera and all that other stuff," he said.
Crena Hamilton, Freeport, was third in line with husband Jason, son James, daughter Anna. With them was her mother Rhonda Pieper, Stockton.
"I wanted to do the whole line thing," Hamilton said, on her day off.
Hamilton has never done "the line thing" before. Friday was her first "Black Friday" shopping experience.
But she is quite aware of the line from the other side. Hamilton has worked for the Wal-Mart store in Freeport for 15 years and is a department manager.
This morning, while the electronic and toy departments were busy, the sports, automotive and fabric and craft departments were empty of early shoppers.
Fager said he had about 40 associates on duty Friday morning. The Monroe store closes at 11 p.m. today.
Store manager Ron Fager's words to his associates at Wal-Mart on Friday morning marked the beginning of "Black Friday," the unofficial first day of the Christmas buying season, that this year arrived while the U.S. economy teeters on the brink of collapse.
Fager and assistant manager Sara Voegel unlocked the doors at 5 a.m. Friday for shoppers who had been waiting in line, some since 2 a.m.
About 200 waiting shopping carts were gone in fewer than 10 minutes. Associates brought more carts to meet the demand.
Fager said it was the largest crowd he has seen since he began working at the Monroe store seven years ago. The parking lot was full, and vehicles were parallel parking against the far curb of the lot.
The first shopper had his purchase and was out the door again by 5:05 a.m. Jon Saxer, Monroe, had a Barbie Jeep for $88 for his 2-year-old daughter.
Electronic devices, especially 32-, 42- and 50-inch flat screen TVs, selling for $388, $598 and $798, were the hottest-selling items. The early-bird specials were good until 11 a.m.
Other items people were looking for were Blue-Ray DVD players and the Xbox 360 game system.
The store had twenty 42-inch TVs, which sold out in 10 minutes.
Tim Donovan, Monroe, had help from Fager loading his 50-inch TV at 5:06 a.m. Donovan said he got to the store early just to buy the TV.
"It's my gift to me ... and my wife," he said.
He said he had been waiting to buy the item "for a while."
But more traditional Christmas items still are popular. One couple had two bikes among their other purchases, and were out the door by 5:10 a.m..
Standing outside before the doors opened this morning, first in line were Theresa Robertson, 22, her sister Jessi Seffrood, 28 and their mother Jayne Seffrood, all of Gratiot, dressed in heavy winter coats.
The arrived at 2 a.m. It's a family tradition, they said.
But the women said they were there to shop for other members of their family who couldn't make the sale.
"We're Santa's elves," Robertson said,
Robertson said she went to bed at 7 p.m. Thursday and took today off from work.
One item they were after was the Xbox, selling for $199.
Jeremy Meighan, 26, Monroe, was at the store by 3:15 a.m. He had a light coat on and a hood tied tight around his face. He was stomping a bit, to keep warm.
Meighan said he came early to get "a TV or something."
"I want a TV, but the wife wants a camera and all that other stuff," he said.
Crena Hamilton, Freeport, was third in line with husband Jason, son James, daughter Anna. With them was her mother Rhonda Pieper, Stockton.
"I wanted to do the whole line thing," Hamilton said, on her day off.
Hamilton has never done "the line thing" before. Friday was her first "Black Friday" shopping experience.
But she is quite aware of the line from the other side. Hamilton has worked for the Wal-Mart store in Freeport for 15 years and is a department manager.
This morning, while the electronic and toy departments were busy, the sports, automotive and fabric and craft departments were empty of early shoppers.
Fager said he had about 40 associates on duty Friday morning. The Monroe store closes at 11 p.m. today.