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FOX 32 NEWS - Black Friday shoppers were lining up for bargains and practicing patience before the purchasing began, and even before they got into the malls.
“To begin with, it's been crazy to find parking, but other than that once we got here, they been great, they're good sports, they really love shopping obviously, they're girls,” said Chetna Patel from Skokie who was shopping with her girlfriends and their daughters.
“I get a lot of stuff, I like buying. I love clothes,” said 11-year-old Krishna Shah, who minced no words when asked about how she liked standing in the long lines. “I hate it, I hate it, my feet get so tired.”
But all the foot traffic was a positive sign for retailers who count on Black Friday customers to set the tone for the holiday shopping season.
“Consumer confidence is up which is always a positive thing, seeing the increase in traffic leads me to believe that we're going to have a great holiday season and that people are out there and shopping, but they are definitely looking for a deal,” said Katie Walsh, Senior Marketing Manager for the Fashion Outlets of Chicago in Rosemont.
The Fashion Outlets of Chicago opened at 10 PM Thanksgiving night for 24 straight hours of bargain hunting and retail runaround. But is it worth it?
“Well as long as there's no long lines then yeah it's worth it, but when there's a long line that you wait in hours and hours just to buy one thing that might've been $20 less, then it's not worth it at all,” said Noemi Fleming, who was shopping while her husband stood nearby watching their young son in the stroller. His responsibility?
“To take care of my kids, yeah while she shops, do our shopping spree,” said Jack Fleming, with a grin.
From the diehards to the newbies, it was retail therapy at its best.
“Well, this is my first time coming out on Black Friday to be perfectly honest. But I think, I'm a newlywed, so it's kind of exciting for us just to be out together,” said Tara Hrobowski, who was staying nearby and came out shopping on a whim.
What's the key to Black Friday shopping for newlyweds?
“I pulled out my credit card this time, not his, so I think will be good for the rest of the day,” Hrobowski said with a laugh.
But unfortunately for some shoppers, they may be good for the day, but this won’t be their last day of Christmas shopping.
"That's impossible, I don't think that's going to happen, I wish, it’s wishful thinking,” Chetna Patel said.
Something retailers, and her daughter, were no doubt glad to hear mom say that.