Despite extending Black Friday into Thanksgiving and offering more online opportunities, shoppers in some cases waited over 24 hours in lines to purchase doorbuster deals from local retailers.
Don Sanchez, his cousins and friends were camping outside of Best Buy in the Virginia Gateway Center. Having secured their spot at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, the young men from Manassas sat at the front of the line that at 9 p.m. on Thursday, looped around the side of the building.
"We're having a blast, playing cards, drinking sodas and eating junk food," said one of the young men.
Sanchez and friends originally tried to stand in line at the Manassas Best Buy, but saw there was already a considerable line. Choosing to camp at the smaller Gainesville store instead ensured they would receive the doorbuster items they wanted, 42" flat screen television sets for only $147.
Some of the young men were planning to keep their purchases for themselves, while others were gifting them. They were proud of their dedication that they, "never left" the site, but they did have family members drive over with carry-out lunches and dinners for them.
They did not seem to mind the wait, nor missing Thanksgiving dinner as they talked, played cards and used Best Buy's Wi-Fi to get on the internet in their tent. Although they have never camped this long on Black Friday before, they said they have waited to get the newest sneakers, calling themselves "sneaker-heads."
Carlos Delcid of Manassas and his family were second in the line, but he admitted he hadn't stayed at the location for two days straight. Instead, family members helped out.
"A few of us rotated back and forth," Delcid said.
Although other people in line thought it was a bit of a cheat, they seemed not to make an issue out of it.
Delcid said he also tried the Manassas store on Sudley Road first, but did not see it as a viable option for getting the TV he wanted.
"The store was too packed by the time I got there, so I came here," Delcid said.
Jason Payne of Gainesville calculated he would still be able to receive one of the twenty 40" TVs even though he wasn't at the head of the line. Payne had come at 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving, but regretted to learn that the stores now opened at midnight, because he would have liked to have had Thanksgiving dinner with his relatives.
Payne said that this year was an improvement from last, since they had guard rails and porta-potties. In 2011, Best Buy's employees created a human chain to stop latecomers from cutting in line.
At the other end of the shopping center, customers were already enjoying great deals at Target, which opened at 9 p.m. Customers said some of them did not even have to wait in long lines to get the deals they wanted, although there were wrap-around lines before the store opened.
Elizabeth Mueller of Winchester got the 50" television she wanted for just $349.
Stacey and Josh Barr of Bristow shopped for presents for their children, picking up a princess kitchen set and scooter at a sale price. The Barrs said they did not stand in line, but came 20 minutes after the store opened.
Target's parking lot was full at 9 p.m., and long lines extended through the electronics department. In addition to electronics, many other products were on sale for impulse shoppers.
John from Haymarket did not initially arrive with a plan to purchase a specific item. However, he ended up with a Dyson vacuum and other small appliances.
Trinity Jones of Warrenton bought her daughter a luxury kiddy Mercedes-Benz in white. She was so excited, and liked it better than pink cars she had previously seen.
Everyone seemed to enjoy their time shopping at Target, while most people also got to enjoy a good Thanksgiving meal and not have to wake up at 4 a.m.
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