Tucson Region

Turkey Day buyers avoid crowds

Not content to wait until today to kick off the holiday shopping blitz, some Tucsonans started hitting the stores on Thanksgiving, leaving football and family behind in favor of bargains and empty aisles. For some, the time between turkey and pie is no longer spent on the couch. Stores are enticing shoppers with deals not only on Black Friday, but Thanksgiving itself and even the previous weekend. Paying a bit more Thursday, compared with today's bigger bargains, was worth it for people who wanted to avoid stores crammed with fellow shoppers. "I don't want to come all the way here and fight a hundred million people," said Stephanie Mendez, 21, who picked up a DVD player and several $5 DVDs at the Wal-Mart Supercenter, 7635 N. La Cholla Blvd. "It was worth it to pay more." Her mother, Arlene Mendez, 51, said the pair were on the way home from a family gathering and decided to stop to avoid packed stores today. Commercialization didn't taint the day, she said, because it's already so heavy for the rest of the holiday season. "It's there, but I refuse to pay attention to it," Arlene Mendez said. "It kind of takes the spirit out of the holiday when you have to fight the crowds." Frank Hawkins, 24, said he's having the main Thanksgiving gathering on Saturday because it was easier to get the family together, so Thursday was free for a little bit of shopping. "It seems that Thanksgiving Day is really low traffic and not that many people are out," he said. "There's hardly any traffic, hardly any people in the store. It was really nice." Wal-Mart's supercenters were open on Thanksgiving and the chain's discount stores open at 6 a.m. today, said Suzanne Haney, spokeswoman for the company, which is Southern Arizona's second-largest private employer. "It's aimed at the grocery but it's just available if people want to do some early shopping," Haney said. Haney said both days are popular, but Friday is the official kickoff for the holiday season. The Friday "blitz" offers extra specials and low-priced items, particularly on electronics. While most stores have traditionally been closed on Thanksgiving, customers now simply want more options, she said. "Some people might have to work Thursday morning or late Wednesday night and maybe they didn't have time to go to the store," she said. "We just want to be available to all shoppers whenever possible." Commercialization of the holiday season has been an ongoing trend, which is on the minds of those involved in charities and social-service groups, said Tamara McElwee, a local Salvation Army spokeswoman. The Salvation Army is readying its iconic holiday bell ringers and will revive the tradition of the brass band at some locations, she said. "We can at least remind them what the season's about," she said. "The smallest donation can bring great rewards." McElwee said that as people turn from giving thanks with family to shopping, they'll remember others who aren't so fortunate. "Tucson is having difficulties, the Salvation Army is having difficulties, as are other agencies. It's a tough time for everybody," she said. "Hopefully as people hear about the need going on, they can put their time in." Other Thursday shoppers went to the store out of necessity, like Betty Knipp, who needed some plumbing for a new sink as part of a remodeling project. A quick shopping trip on Thanksgiving beat out the "madhouse" expected today, said Knipp, who has already completed her Christmas shopping. Srinivas Singavarapu, 25, went to Wal-Mart to squeeze in shopping when he had enough time. Still, he plans to head out today for some purchases. For others, shopping served mainly as an excuse to leave the house for a while and get a change of scenery. "We're just checking things out, getting out of the house," said Lee Rodriguez, 32. "That's the way to do it - quieter."