Good morning, shoppers! Black Friday comes around once again

PEABODY-Despite all of the economic scares, the Northshore Mall still managed to draw quite a crowd of bargain hungry shoppers this Black Friday.”We were up at 4 (a.m.),” said early bird shopper Theresa Hoy of Danvers, who was spotted carrying several hefty bags outside of Victoria’s Secret with two helpers. “We found great bargains.”Click here to see a photo gallery from the events of Black Friday.Hoy said this year, getting out early and scooping up all the great deals was more important than ever because of the tough economy. She said she had set a limit for herself and was sticking to it, that’s that.For Karen Murray of Salem, the best deals she got didn’t cost her a penny.”Anything that’s free, that’s the biggest item,” she quipped, after taking advantage of Bath & Body Works’ “buy three, get two free” offer.While Murray was inside shopping, her friend and Peabody firefighter Dave Limongiello was taking a catnap out in the lobby. He had been up since 3:30 hunting for bargains with his wife. It’s their yearly ritual.”It’s fun,” he said, after being woken up. “You get everything done, and then when the sun comes up, you go home to bed.”Murray and his four-member team hit up stores across the city. Last year, when he drove by Best Buy, he said people were camped out front waiting for the doors to open. But, that wasn’t the scene he witnessed this year.”I figured it’s a little less busy because of the economy,” he said.But, the consumers aren’t the only ones who are altering their Black Friday habits. Retailers, too, are adjusting their prices and promotions to help attract shoppers, especially those who are under a tight budget.The Gap offered free sweaters with the purchase of any sweater, men and women’s fashion chain EXPRESS gave an additional 25 percent off all store items, and Olympia Sports had an enticing “buy one, get the other for 99 cents” deal on select shorts, hats, gloves and fleeces. Brookstone offered 50-70 percent off some items.Assistant Store Manager Dean Thurston said his Brookstone store hadn’t seen any major drops in numbers, and in fact, with its new design, things seemed to be picking up throughout the day.”Consumers are definitely value focused,” said mall Manager Mark Whiting. “And retailers are reacting very quickly to re-evaluate the strength of their discounts.”The Northshore Mall opened at 5 a.m., but anchor stores like JCPenney opened their doors even earlier at 4 a.m. Traffic, according to Whiting, was comparable to last year.”We’re off to a very good start,” he said. “In fact, Sears came in as the top store in the district in terms of traffic. “It’s very encouraging.”Whiting said he wouldn’t know until Saturday just how well the mall did and how well it may do this holiday season.While some shoppers were hesitant to hand over their credit cards, others were ready and willing to sign away for items at the top of their wish list. Unfortunately for New Hampshire resident Casey Trombley, making the trip down to Peabody didn’t prove to be too successful.”I waited in line at Office Depot at 4 a.m.,” he said with disappointment written all over his face. His dreams were crushed when the popular HP Notebook was sold out before he even entered the store. “It was a colossal failure?never again.”Trombley and his friends were recouping in the mall’s new food court. This was their first (and last) time taking part in the tradition of Black Friday shopping.Perhaps if the group partook in the mall’s new rejuvenation center instead, they might change their minds. To make customers enjoy their shopping experience as much as possible this season, the Northshore Mall set up massage stations, gave away free Vitamin Water, and provided extra comfortable couches and chairs to rest in.”We’re trying to make the mall fun and exciting,” said Whiting. “And as stress free as can be provided.”