COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Metro Atlanta shoppers were out early Friday to take advantage of holiday deals.
Shoppers camped outside Cabela’s in Acworth overnight for Black Friday.
Store managers said 424 people stood in line before the doors opened this year.
Shopper Patty Carpenter and her son were some of the first in line at that location.
“We got here at 5:30 yesterday evening. So, we had the typical turkey day with the family before we came over,” Carpenter said.
Robert Lionetti, one of the managers at Cabela’s, said the store does more business on Black Friday than it would in a typical week.
“It goes in spurts, but it should be a crazy, crazy day,” Lionetti said. “We do get big lines for checkout, but they’re handled very fast.”
Inside the store, customers are promised deals and smooth checkouts.
“Kind of surprised,” shopper Romona Floid said. “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be.”
Retail analysts say online shopping has changed the holiday shopping season in addition to the pandemic.
The factor they’re studying this year is inflation. Will people spend less, impacting profits?
“No!” laughed Floid. “I’m a giver. I’m sorry.”
Carpenter said she won’t be spending as much this year.
“With prices going up, it’s just, your budgets don’t go up,” said Carpenter.