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Updated 10 minutes ago
The freezing temperatures did not prevent buyers from looking for the best deals for Black Friday.
Before the sun rose, crowds crowded into hot spots in southwestern Pennsylvania, malls at Lowe's Home Improvement, Best Buy and Walmart.
The National Retail Federation predicted that 116 million Americans will shop on Black Friday and 164 million during the Thanksgiving weekend.
The federation predicts retail sales in November and December could range from $ 717.5 to $ 720.9 billion, a 4.3 to 4.8% jump from 2017.
WESTMORELAND MALL
Many of these buyers were at the Westmoreland Mall in Hempfield, where a line outside Victoria's Secret occupied about 70 people shortly before 8 am. The transactions in this area have attracted 16-year-old Destiny Stewart from Robinson.
"I waited with her for maybe ten minutes and I thought," I'm going to Bath & Body Works, "said her mother, Kim Stewart.
The car parks were crowded, as were the shops. Many of the available benches were taken by customers who were waiting for others or who were watching on their cell phones. Two women were wearing Team Black Friday shirts, while other shoppers were dragging heavy bags in the halls while Christmas music was playing.
Boswell's Betty Begley did not sleep after a Thanksgiving shopping night with her family before heading to the mall around 5 am Friday with her two daughters, Amanda Begley and Mindy Riek, and her granddaughter, Kirsten Riek.
She was sitting on a bench outside Claire with a Sears basket filled with Old Navy and H & M bags.
It's an annual tradition for the family – a tradition that does not stop at the mall. They planned to visit Gabe's, Barnes & Noble and Burlington Coat Factory before announcing it.
"We had a blast," she said.
Amanda Begley stayed in the queue at Old Navy for an hour. She dropped a queue at Bath & Body Works and searched online for items to buy there.
"We queued last year, but it was nothing like it," she said.
PITTSBURGH MILLS
Queues and crowds were missing in many places during what was always the beginning of the Christmas shopping season, tempered not only by online sales, but also by the shops that open at Thanksgiving.
"I thought the same thing, boy, it's terribly quiet," said North Apollo's Billie-Jo Joyner as she paced JCPenney at the Pittsburgh Mills shopping center in Frazer township with a garment full of clothing. "I think a lot of stores opened yesterday. They started early.
Brandy Conley of Hazelwood did some online shopping on Thanksgiving, but came to Walmart in Frazer on Friday and had a full basket. She thought the business was pretty good.
"I especially found everything I was looking for," she said. "I'm almost done in this shop."
Conley said she and a friend of Bloomfield's then went to Kohl's, but did not know if they were going to Ross or Monroeville.
Conley was getting gifts and some things for herself. "You can not buy Black Friday without getting something for yourself," she said.
Elmer and Krista Shearer left their North Apollo home at 4 am to go to the Pittsburgh Mills Mall mainly so their daughter, Katrina, could get the Michael Kors handbag she had long wanted at Macy's.
"She asked for one for two or three years now," said Krista Shearer. "And we have an agreement."
"It's expensive, that's why she wanted it," said her 12-year-old friend Kendra Wysocki.
Nicole Turner of New Kensington was shopping at Frazer Walmart. She added that she did not miss Toys R Us, which closed its stores earlier this year; It's the first Christmas without the toy giant.
"I thought I would do good business and I would do better," she explained to explain why she was shopping before sunrise.
Jake Weidner of Lower Burrell checked with Walmart for in-store offerings better than online; a router caught his attention. He was then heading to Ross Park Mall.
"We wanted to see if there were any thefts," he said.
Weidner said he had not done any shopping for Thanksgiving.
"We did not want to miss family time," he said.
BEST PURCHASE
The Best Buy car park at Hempfield was jam-packed as buyers struggled to load everything from blenders to giant flat-screen TVs to poinsettias in cars and SUVs, many of which were crammed with previous stops at 8:30.
Black Friday is a mixed hunting and outing expedition for Marilyn Crousey's Latrobe girls.
Crousey, her daughter Cambric Parks of Mechanicsburg, her daughter-in-law Melissa Crousey of Greensburg and her niece Melody Whisel of Monroeville took a break at 8:30 am and planned the rest of their day, while waiting for Amy, the Crousey's daughter-in-law, must go to checkout at Best Buy in Hempfield.
Women have been observing their tradition for 15 years. They said their morning finds were excellent this year. Next stop: Sears at Westmoreland Mall.
Karen Beard, of Ligonier, said she and Joanne Freeth, a friend of the Toronto family, had started at 4:30 pm and were on their fourth stop at 8:30.
"I am old school. It is a tradition. We were online at the mall when it opened, "said Beard.
Since her daughter was sick at home, Beard said she'd agreed to lend a hand and help with her Black Friday housework. She had heard that Lowe's had a special poinsettia deal and went there after Freeth jumped into the car.
IMPROVING THE HOUSE OF LOWE
In other words, if there were poinsettias left.
Among the special offers that attracted Black Friday buyers at the opening of Lowe's in Unity at 6 am, are deep discounts on ubiquitous Christmas plants.
"In general, I get a dozen, and then I move them around," said Moe Haas, of Unity, who filled his basket with potted plants by 50 cent, and then returned to the search for other offers.
Purchasing poinsettias at the store is also an annual tradition for Tammy Murphy of Latrobe, who arrived with her husband, Don, and their son, Ryan.
She said that her husband "got up at 5:30 to come here."
She generally buys about 20 plants to use as holiday table decorations and then offers them to her guests.
The Murphy also planned to buy a discounted artificial Christmas tree.
Special price stepladders were found in many Lowe shopping carts, including one run by Unity's Tina and Ryan Shrum.
"I bought it for our cabin," Ryan said. "You can not pass for $ 22."
Shrums often shop at the store and made their first stop on Black Friday as they were also looking for gifts for the family.
The couple had planned a full day of shopping, including stops at a sporting goods store and a rural supply store, after an atypical visit to the Westmoreland Mall, at the request of one of their two sons .
"My son wants to give me a present and I have to choose it," Tina explained. "We will decorate between the two."
The Roary pet dog, which belongs to their son's fiancée, was also in the Shrums' chariot.
"We knew we could take her with us because it was a pet-friendly store," said Tina.
ROSS PARK MALL
The Ross Park Mall Mall reported the best crowd of Black Friday buyers in four years.
"We had a steady stream of people as soon as the doors opened at 6 pm," said Tyler Andrews, director of mall marketing.
Andrews said that in his opinion, the increase in the number of its customers is a combination of new stores such as the Lego Store, door-to-door sales and consumer confidence having reached their highest level in 18 years.
People are feeling a little more comfortable with the economic situation, "he said. "People understand better what they can spend and have more confidence in the future."
Editors Brian Rittmeyer, Renatta Signorini, Debra Erdley and Jeff Himler also contributed.
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