Shoppers hit stores shortly after midnight

SAUGUS _ Close to 1,000 people braved near-freezing temperatures late Thursday and early today to take advantage of Black Friday deals at Best Buy and Macy’s.The line to get into Best Buy wrapped all the way to the Macy’s entrance near the parking deck ramp, as a steady flow of cars and people clogged much of the Square One Mall lot.Best Buy opened its doors at 12:47 a.m.Likewise, Square One Mall opened its doors at 4 a.m. Today and General Manager Susan Yee said it was one of the biggest turnouts she’s seen.?From talking to my retailers, everybody is really happy with the start of the day,” said Yee. “Just looking at the number of people at the mall that were here last year, the difference is huge. It’s a really strong start. It’s early to tell yet, but it looks good.”Read complete coverage of shoppers hitting the malls to take advantage of Black Friday sales in Saturday’s Daily Item.