Shopping stories: Mom, daughter settle for lesser prizes

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TAMPA - Black Friday started with a bang across the Bay area as retailers reached out to pre-dawn shoppers, helping them navigate deals even while they stood in line and taking their cue from big-box stores and mall anchors to open earlier than ever.

Here are some highlights from the shopping trail around the Bay area:

Annual pilgrimage yields appliance deals

Vicki Craig and her mother-in-law, Diana Craig, copped a car full of steals on Black Friday.

The women began their annual pilgrimage of purchases at Staples at 7 a.m., then hit Westfield Brandon mall.

"We got a two-gallon Shop-Vac for $14.99 at Sears," Vicki Craig said.

Her accomplice, Diana Craig, whispered, "They usually sell for about $80."

By 11 a.m., the shopping partners had made several trips out to their car to deposit the spoils and free up their hands for another haul.

Their favorite find? A USB turntable purchased at Radio Shack for $80.

"You use it to convert record albums to digital files on your computer," said Vicki Craig. "Then you can burn CDs or put them on an MP3 player."

Her mother-in-law hinted at who might find the turntable under the tree.

With a bashful smile, she said, "I have a lot of old records."

Laura Frazier

Back and forth in search of bargains

Joe Prince of Gainesville hasn't slept since Wednesday, because he is too busy seeking holiday bargains.

The University of Florida student got an early start at Target, where he bought a 48 inch flat screen TV. By mid-morning, he was roaming the aisles at the Best Buy on North Dale Mabry Highway, in search of a laptop computer.

"We came out here at 4 this morning, but the line was too long," Prince said. "We went to Target then decided to come back."

Prince didn't know where he was going next, but he knew it wasn't home. He had more shopping to do.

Prince was in Tampa visiting relatives for Thanksgiving.

Kenneth Knight

Mom and daughter settle for lesser prizes

Not everyone was up at the crack of dawn to find bargains.

Fatima Delio and her daughter, Alyssa, both of Carrollwood, slept in and missed out on the item they most wanted at the Best Buy in Citrus Park.

"We were looking for the I-Pod Touch, but they sold out," said Fatima Delio, standing in line to check out about 10:30 a.m. "We got here too late."

They managed to find other items at good prices. Their shopping cart was stuffed with Xbox 360 DVDs and a Sony sound system.

"This is our first stop," Fatima Delio said. "We are late shoppers."

They planned stops at Westfield Citrus Park Mall and Sam's Club before completing their shopping spree.

Kenneth Knight

Missing out on a tricycle

Billie and Kelly Treece figured a 5 a.m. start on Black Friday would help them snare a coveted Christmas gift for Jack, their 2-year-old son.

But four hours and four stores later, the couple surrendered. The Disney tricycle was nowhere to be found.

"We were at Walmart at 5 a.m.," Kelly Treece said. "It was insane."

Billie Treece was surprised to learn swarms of shoppers stormed the 24-hour Walmart Supercenter on Causeway Bouelvard hours before a 5 a.m. sale was set to start.

"When we walked in at 5 a.m., tons of people were already coming out with TVs and two and three baskets full of stuff," she said. "They cheated."

Laura Frazier

'Spirit of Christmas does not abide at Walmart'

Several shoppers seemed to have found refuge at Westfield Brandon after spending a maddening hour or two at Brandon-area Walmart stores.

Crowds at the Brandon mall were large - the mall counted 8,500 shoppers at 6:30 a.m. - but weren't as unruly as at Walmart, a few Westfield Brandon shoppers said. They related harrowing stories of jockeying for places in line at the world's largest retailer.

Diane Sutter and two grown daughters lined up in the checkout line at a small Bloomingdale Walmart early this morning with just a handful of things. They had hoped that the person in front of them - who had three carts full of merchandise - would let them jump in front.

No such luck. People in the Walmart line weren't giving an inch, said Sutter, who by 9 a.m. was looking through clothes in a more leisurely JC Penney store at Westfield Brandon.

"The spirit of Christmas does not abide at Walmart," she said of that retailer's Black Friday's shoppers.

Also around 9 a.m., Charles Lowe of Valrico was relaxing by a fountain at Westfield Brandon as his wife and mother-in-law shopped. He, too, had started his morning at a Valrico Walmart and witnessed what nearly became a skirmish among customers.

A couple with two shopping carts full of merchandise tried to get in Wal-Mart's express lane, which is limited to 20 items or less, Lowe said. Not amused, another shopper stopped the couple in their tracks.

"He said, 'I know you aren't fixing to do what you're fixing to do,'" Lowe said, quoting the angry shopper.

Michael Sasso

Economy has some down, but not out

The economy has East Hillsborough shoppers down, but apparently not out yet.

Customers at the JC Penney at Westfield Brandon say they are cutting back this year. But during a nationwide credit crisis and 10-percent unemployment rates, some shoppers need an outlet to vent.

"This is my therapy," said Jennie Louis of Brandon.

Like several shoppers interviewed Friday, Louis has managed to keep her job at a commercial construction company, but is fearful that she could be laid off at any time. She figures she'll spend 40 percent less this holiday season than she did last year.

Amy Crosby of Valrico has a stable job in the insurance business, and her husband works in the healthcare field, which is less affected than most industries. Still, she's taken to making some gifts this year instead of buying them, including making fresh preserves. Her family calls her the "coupon queen," Crosby said.

Meanwhile, John and Lynda Davis of Riverview were out looking for deals for themselves Friday morning.

"We're all in the same boat," Lynda Davis said. "You don't know if you're going to come in (to work) tomorrow and have a job, so we're all a bit cautious."

Michael Sasso

Sushi for breakfast in Clearwater?

Newly opened White Fin Sushi at Westfield Countryside mall looks like a tasty alternative to the typical mall food court. But at 6:30 a.m.?

Turns out the smattering of diners there came for something else.

"We have breakfast sandwiches," employees called out to shoppers passing by clutching Starbucks cups.

Courtney Pastor

Not everyone covers up in the chill

Michael Glenn isn't from here originally, so weather that's chilly by Tampa standards didn't bother him at 6 this morning.

He stood outside the Best Buy on Dale Mabry Highway in shorts and a T-shirt.

"I am from up north and 50 degrees is not bad," said Glenn, 22.

A student at Florida State University in Tallahassee, his parents live in South Tampa.

What's he looking for at Best Buy?

"Great bargains."

Kenneth Knight

Small stores find need to open early, too

Sears and JCPenney have opened for years at 4 a.m. in the Westfield Brandon Mall, but this year it seems even smaller stores are having to follow suit or risk losing customers.

Two dozen stores at the Brandon mall opened by 4 a.m. today, including teen fashion retailers Aeropostale, Aerie and Charlotte Russe, said mall manager Laurie Goldman.

The smaller "in-line" stores didn't use newspaper circulars, but relied heavily on e-mails and social media to get the word out.

Several mall stores only revealed their huge markdowns overnight or early this morning. The Limited, for example, put out a sign announcing 50 percent off sales storewide, while Aeropostale offered 40 percent off specials for a few hours Friday.

One shopper, Charles Lowe of Valrico, was resting by a Westfield Brandon fountain by 8:30.

He, his wife and mother-in-law had hit a Valrico Walmart at 4:30 Friday to grab a $199 laptop. They missed out.

The Lowes have a big crew to shop for this year. They have adopted eight special needs children over the years, most of whom are now grown.

"It's gotten cheaper as they've gotten older," quipped Lowe, who has managed to hang onto his job at a local fertilizer manufacturer through the recession.

Michael Sasso

Lowe's provides personal navigation

The Lowe's in New Tampa had prepared for the crowds by having employees stationed at the doors and throughout the store with maps and lists showing the aisles and locations of advertised items.

Specials included poinsettias for 99 cents, shop Vac for $29, cordless tool sets for $59, LED Maglites for $14.97, and a pre-lit Christmas tree for $38.

Lenora Lake

Meatballs with those bargains at Ikea

The promise of a free breakfast at Ikea didn't draw throngs before the scheduled 9 a.m. opening.

But many of those who were standing in line as the doors opened were clutching glossy advertising circulars.

The earliest in line were even more prepared.

"We came Wednesday to scope it out and get our plan together," said Lynne Kjollsdal. "And they have free meatballs!"

The store on Adamo Drive in Tampa is also marking its first Christmas with cheap couches and free shipping.

Rich Mullins

Cold enough to ice skate in Clearwater

Ice skating in Clearwater didn't seem so preposterous for those few who arrived early at Countryside Mall.

The temperatures this chilly morning dipped into the 40s, after all. But shoppers will have to wait until the thermometer inches toward an expected high 65 today before they can hit the ice.

The mall's ice rink is scheduled to open at 12:15 p.m. today for public skating.

Inside Countryside Mall, there were no lines for climbing up on Santa's lap to deliver your Christmas wish list and get a picture taken.

Everyone is over at Victoria's Secret, instead, which appeared to have the longest line in the mall.

Courtney Pastor

Shopping while you wait at CompUSA

Store staff stepped outside before the doors opened at CompUSA, 701 N. Dale Mabry Hwy. in Tampa, to ask people in line what they wanted.

Then when the doors did open, their items were waiting for them in carts!

5:45 early enough for Brandon shopper

The sun hadn't yet warmed the horizon but John Morgan didn't' mind when he showed up at Brandon's Best Buy at 5:45 a.m. He was the last in a line that stretched out the front door of the store and around the building with at least 100 people in front of him.

Morgan was looking to save more than $200 on a new LCD TV as well as a few other gifts. Surveying the line ahead of him Morgan wasn't too bothered.

"I'm just not that ambitious to start getting in line that early," he said.

- Kevin Brady

Pitching a tent, Native American style

Complete with teepee, a painted face and feathers in his hair, Charlie Sammons cut a striking figure outside Brandon's Best Buy store this morning.

Among the first in line at the popular electronics retailer, Sammons pitched his tent at 10 a.m. Tuesday. By 5:30 a.m. he was wheeling out a cart full of computers and assorted electronics.

"It was a cold night but we all had fun. I saved between $500 and $600."

Kevin Brady

Surprised by the chilly weather

Randy Birth and his nephew, Daniel Mattair, started lining up outside Brandon's K-Mart store at 2 a.m. There were already about 50 people in line at the store by the time they arrived.

They were not expecting the chilly weather, though.

"It's a lot colder than we expected," Birth said. "We just stamped our feet and bit and kept moving."

Kevin Brady

Attacking the shelves at Bealls

About 20 shoppers got to work after 6 a.m., grabbing storage boxes, home decorations, comforters, sheets, beach towels, pillows and other items at the Bealls Home Outlet, which is hidden away in a corner at Sunset Plaza in Lutz.

All clearance at Bealls Outlets is 70 percent off this weekend. And everyone gets a 15 percent discount on Friday.

Mary Ann Keekler drove from Valrico to Lutz to be able to get the sale because there was no place closer.

Lasaundria Bass had to make three trips to her car to get all her storage boxes in - and she barely had enough room left for her mother and her shopping.

As the shoppers waited in line for checkout by employees wearing Santa hats, they talked about their bargains and why they needed cartloads of the items.

One young woman, shopping with her mother said, "I love to come here for this because everyone is so nice."

Lenora Lake

First in line at Brandon K-mart

Saving a couple of hundred dollars certainly takes the chill out of the morning air for some people.

Long before the sun came up, Crystal Leach and her family braved 49 degree temperatures outside K-Mart on State Road 60 in Brandon so they could be sure to get their hands on a 32-inch HD TV.

"We'll be saving about $150 on the TV and lots more on bikes, digital cameras and an easy-bake oven. The ovens are sold out everywhere else," said Leach who was first in line at K-Mart. She arrived at the store at 9:30 p.m. Thursday night with a chair and blanket handy.

Kevin Brady

Line long before Lutz Kohl's opens

The parking lot at Kohl's in Lutz was packed by the time the doors opened at 4 a.m. People had started lining up at 1:30 a.m. An employee let a group of women in early to use the ladies' room while more employees handed out coffee and doughnuts.

The first person checked out at 4:06 a.m. By 4:30 a.m., the line to check out snaked all the way to the back of the store. It moved quickly, taking about a half-hour to move up to the cash register.

Beth Gaddis