WASHINGTON, Pa. -- Crowds flocked to local stores and shopping centers on Thursday night and Friday morning as customers hoped to take advantage of early bargains and other Black Friday offers.

Shoppers Storm Stores For Black Friday Bargains

Lane Bryant and Guess stores at the Tanger Outlets opened at 10 p.m. on Thursday but customers were lined up in the chilly temperatures even earlier. A promotion promised a free $10 gift certificate to the first 100 people in line near for the food court at midnight.

"We take breaks to go into the bathroom to keep warm and use the hand dryer to warm our hands up and drink hot chocolate," said shopper Lauren Davis. She and her friends arrived at 6 p.m. and passed the time playing Internet games on her cell phone.

Justin, Jordan and Corey Grabowski also arrived early and saved a place at the front of the line for their mother.

"We'll come freeze down here for awhile and then they'll come down at midnight and say, 'Hey, thanks,'" said Justin Grabowski.

The brothers made up a game called Catch the Coke to help pass the time.

Most stores at Tanger Outlets plan to open at midnight and workers are expecting to work up to 12-hour shifts. General manager Frank Saluccui said he expects the turnout to rival the grand opening earlier this year.

The Grabowski brothers said waiting in line on Thanksgiving night could turn into an annual tradition.

"Next year, we're going to bring sleeping bags, coffee and dress warm," said Jordan Grabowski. "And maybe get a football next year, something less last-minute."

Channel 4 Action News' Amber Nicotra was at the Toys 'R Us in Monroeville where doors opened at 5 a.m.

The Black Friday deals did bring out shoppers, but fewer than in years past due to the troubled economy.

The National Retail Federation predicts the number of people who will do their holiday shopping this weekend will be down 9.5 percent from last year.

Something else that's working against retailers is that this year there are only 27 shopping days between Black Friday and Christmas. In 2007 there were 31 days.

Overall holiday sales are only expected to rise 2.2 percent over last year, about half of what sales usually increase year-to-year.

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