Shoppers charge into stores for Black Friday specials

Oven-top grills, luggage and robotic hamsters topped the shopping lists of the hundreds of people who ventured out before 4 a.m. on Black Friday.

More than 100 dedicated shoppers began lining up outside J.C. Penney at 2 a.m. and Sedalia resident Anthony Roehr was first in line. The 24-year-old arrived at the store at 1:58 a.m. He said he came alone because his grandmother backed out of the shopping trip at the last minute.

Instead of waking early to hit the stores, Roehr opted to stay awake.

“I stayed up and watched the new ‘Star Trek’ movie,” he said.

Roehr said he had a “loose plan” for his shopping trip.

“I’m here to get all my Christmas shopping done,” he said, “and find the nicest things for the cheapest price.”

Roehr was finished with his shopping by 4:45 a.m. and planned to head back home to sleep.

J.C. Penney employee Connie Dierking stayed awake as well, but not by choice.

“I couldn’t sleep,” she said. “I was afraid I would over-sleep.”

Dierking stood just inside the store’s entrance greeting customers with a smile and handing out the store’s signature, a dated snow globe.

“I think we have about 3,000 snow globes,” she said, “and we’ll run out by the end of the day.”

Dierking said the crowd was “comparable” to 2008’s Black Friday sale.

“A good amount of people have shown up,” she said.

J.C. Penney Manager Don Lambertz said shoppers were buying “gift-type items” such as remote-control cars, coin banks and digital cameras.

“Customers are buying the items we normally don’t carry,” he said.

Although most of the shoppers had little to no sleep before hitting the sales, Lambertz said the overall attitude was upbeat.

“If people are going to come out this early then they are going be in a good mood,” he said.

Knob Noster resident Claire Hughes and her friend, Kim Reid, began their day at 4 a.m. at J.C. Penney. The women bought two luggage sets and bags full of clothes for their teenage daughters before splitting up to head to Kmart and Wal-Mart in search of this year’s hot toy, Zhu Zhu hamsters. Hughes planned to brave the Wal-Mart crowd while Reid chose to wait in line at Kmart.

“These hamsters have been sold-out online,” Hughes said, “but it’s the top choice on Kim’s son’s list, so I’m shopping until we find it.”

Sedalia resident Sue Wright was one of dozens of shoppers who entered J.C. Penney as the doors opened and made a beeline to the rear of the store to purchase an oven-top grill. Wright said she was purchasing the appliance for herself, but would probably do some Christmas shopping since she was awake.

“I’m here and the crowd isn’t too bad,” she said. “So, I’ll probably browse.”

While consumers at J.C. Penney bought appliances and outfits, early shoppers at Staples were looking to save major money on electronics. Pettis County resident Jack Hunter patiently sipped coffee and listened to the radio as he waited for the store to open. Hunter said his son asked him to purchase a global positioning system, or GPS, for his vehicle.

“I’m an early riser anyway,” Hunter said. “So, I figured I’d give it a shot.”