From the dinner table to the mall, Black Friday saw high foot traffic in the Chicago area to take advantage of the deals.
Some of the shopping looked the same this year, with the usual long lines wrapping around stores at the Fashion Outlets of Chicago in Rosemont. But most of it looked different: no more masks and deeper discounts with the intention to attract shoppers.
One young shopper, Giag Gourdet, said she was excited by the lower prices.
Gourdet and her family were in from Louisiana to take advantage of the sales.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
“Every year this is a tradition. We come, we have Thanksgiving dinner and the next day we usually come here to shop around,” said Debbie Chandler.
As inflation hits a record high, the bigger discounts are more than welcomed by shoppers.
"I hate inflation,” said Giag. "For example one thing it was $1.50 and now it's $2.50, and that is not cool."
Local
However, others were just window shopping on Black Friday.
“Seeing the price change through the years is just not worth it,” said shopper Michael Aguirre.
The National Retail Federation predicted a 6 to 8% increase in sales this holiday season. That prediction didn’t disappoint as more people shopped in person this time despite deals starting early.
"Our parking garage was filled within an hour and a half of opening,” said Katie Walsh, senior marketing manager for the Fashion Outlets of Chicago.
But the Fashion Outlets of Chicago was not the only jam-packed mall. So was Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg and the Chicago Premium Outlets in Aurora.
According to the Aurora Police Department, the entrances had to be closed off at the outlet because it reached full capacity.
Yet the foot traffic, and inflation did not stop many shoppers from enjoying their Black Friday
"Happy thanksgiving and have a Merry, Merry Christmas,” said Giag.
