'Different than it used to be' Eugenians say Black Friday is more about tradition than shopping

For many, the day after Thanksgiving is the start of holiday shopping.

But for others, Black Friday has become more about spending time with loved ones than the actual shopping experience.

Eugene trio Krista Miller, Ali Bolz and Kati Zakhary began shopping at 6 a.m. on Friday. The three have been close for 20 years and have gone shopping on Black Friday together several times in the past. Now that they all have children of their own, Black Friday is an opportunity to reunite and be together.

"We definitely used to be the hardcore sit outside the stores, pre-kids and pre-marriage," Zakhary said. "It really has very little to do with the sales and the shopping and more just hanging out."

The trio said they'd been to Fred Meyer, Target and Walmart, but they still had a few more locations on their list to hit by 9 a.m.

The deals and sales were not as good as years past, they said, but people were friendly and there was no competition or races to get into stores. They had no wait to check out at Target despite getting in the store shortly after it opened at 6 a.m.

It's all about tradition

For mother-daughter duo Cherie Shunk and Heather Trowbridge, Black Friday is a long-standing, 13-year tradition.

They first began shopping at 5 a.m., making stops at JCPenney, Target, Ulta and Old Navy.

Shunk said it was a relief that most stores have shifted from the model of opening up stores on Thanksgiving night so people can stay home with family on the holiday. While Trowbridge acknowledged that there were a lot of good sales online, she liked going into stores on Black Friday.

"It's just fun to go out and shop... I do some of it on the computer, obviously, but this is, for me, more fun," Trowbridge said. "I find more (in-store), honestly, than I do on the computer."

This was also their first time bringing Trowbridge's daughter, who gave a thumbs-up on the Black Friday experience. They were planning to wrap up their shopping shortly after 9 a.m.

Making new memories

Gavyn Laing, Audri Garner and Olivia Staten said they were passing on new traditions after beginning their shopping at 5 a.m.

Laing has been participating in Black Friday shopping since he was about 10 years old. A decade later, he's still at it.

"It used to be that all four of my buddies would pile up in a car and have my mom take me, and then when we got our licenses that was one thing, and now I have a girlfriend," Laing said.

He brought Garner on her first Black Friday shopping spree about four years ago, and the two have gone together ever since.

"This became a tradition for us," Garner said.

This year, the couple brought their friend, Staten, who said this is her first Black Friday. While they've made some exciting purchases, like a new stereo for Laing, they acknowledged that the deals weren't as good as they've seen in the past.

"It's definitely different than it used to be," Garner said. "I'd say a little bit downhill, but this year, I think this is the first year since COVID that they're actually doing sales again the day of Black Friday."

"I just feel like it's overrated," Staten said. "But... if it truly lived up to the hype, I wouldn't be able to handle it. I'd be too overwhelmed."

The trio said they planned on going to most of the major shopping centers in Eugene and Springfield, aiming to stay out until the mid-afternoon.

"Even if I don't like do or don't buy a whole lot of stuff, it's just fun going around and seeing kind of what was slashed on the sales," Laing said.

Miranda Cyr reports on education for The Register-Guard. You can contact her at mcyr@registerguard.com or find her on Twitter @mirandabcyr

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Black Friday shopping in Eugene a holiday tradition for some