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Nov 26, 2008 8:04 pm US/Eastern
Tanger Outlets Ready For Black Friday Frenzy
SOUTH STRABANE (KDKA) ―
The Friday after Thanksgiving is usually one of the biggest shopping days of the year, with people often lining up at 5 a.m. to get the best sales.
This year -- with more people out of work and money hard to come by -- retailers are fighting for every last dollar. And for one area outlet, that means that Black Friday is starting early on Thursday.
Chances are good cars exiting off Exit 41 on I-79 are heading to the new Tanger Outlets in Washington County. The big question -- what will it be like on Black Friday?
"We are expecting a huge crowd for this Black Friday, since there is nothing like this in the area," says Tanger general manager Frank Salucci. He says the outlet is prepared for the onslaught.
"Being prepared, we have the South Strabane and North Strabane police departments directing traffic at the bottom of the hill on racetrack road through Route 19. We also have plenty of security up here to direct traffic so we can get people in and out of the parking lots."
The attraction is not just the 75 outlet stores so close to Pittsburgh -- it's the special sales -- everywhere you turn you see prices slashed 30 percent, 50 percent, even 70 percent off.
"If you're short of cash, is this right place to be?" Money Editor Jon Delano asked one shopper.
"Definitely, definitely, and I think sales are going to be ever better this weekend," said Patty Plauger of Beverly, West Virginia.
The madness really begins at midnight Thanksgiving Day when many of the outlet stores will open with some additional sales to attract cash-strapped shoppers into the stores.
"I do anticipate some craziness. I've been with the company six years. we've seen a lot of crazy things happen, so we're just hoping people stay safe and get the deals that they want," says Crissy Hoskinson, the Banana Republic store manager.
And it was a half-price deal that got one family to buy a sweater for their son -- a welcomed bargain when dad just lost his job.
"I was just recently downsized with many of my colleagues unfortunately so there's a lot of glum faces this year for Christmas," notes Brent Burich of Mt. Lebanon.
Many families are feeling the economic strain this year, but Christmas is Christmas -- and that's why the outlet malls are so optimistic they will be jammed on Friday.
In fact, at the Tanger Outlets, at least five stores are opening Thursday night before midnight.
Lane Bryant and Guess are opening at 10 p.m and Old Navy, Gap, and Banana Republic will open at 11 p.m.
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