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Area Residents Endure Long Lines For Black Friday Deals On Thanksgiving Day

LINDEN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Many people pushed away from the dinner table Thursday night to get a jump on holiday sales.

You wouldn't know it was Thanksgiving Day by looking at the steady stream of shoppers going into stores around the Tri-State Area.

A couple named "Freddy" and "Margie" came the to Walmart at the Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream in hopes of getting one item -- a 40-inch television.

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"We went to get a TV, but they didn't have anything because they opened the store 10 o'clock in the morning," the couple told 1010 WINS' Gene Michaels. "They opened at 10 o'clock in the morning and they took all the TVs."

The store was supposed to open its doors at 8 o'clock Thanksgiving night.  The couple said, had they known, they would have showed up much earlier.

 

Meanwhile, in Linden, New Jersey, though the Walmart is open 24 hours, customers were waiting outside for the Black Friday deals that started Thursday night. James Meyers and his son-in-law were the first ones in line.

"We want the TV," Meyers told CBS 2's Christine Sloan. "This is my first time doing this and it looks like fun."

The TV they are hoping to get their hands on is a 50-inch one for $300.

"You can not beat that. You can't go wrong at all," Meyers told WCBS 880's Jim Smith.

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Meyers said he figured he would get to the store early, and by that, he meant 10 hours early.

"I'm feeling kind of chilly right now," he joked.

Meyers and his son-in-law were ahead of Edith Maree, who has been the one at the front of the line during the past five years.

"They pass out a map. Shows you where [your] location is and you have to be in that location," she said.

Since she's such a pro, Maree bought a folding chair and gave the one she had with her to Leah De Cicco, who was in line behind her.

"I think it's amazing that even after what happened with the hurricane and everything, people are continuing to give and to help people," De Cicco said.

But one New Jersey mom and her children said they felt sorry for the employees who had to work on Thursday.

"I still don't think it's right they're open on Thanksgiving," the mother said.

In addition to Walmart, Old Navy -- owned by Gap -- and Kmart also had their doors open on Thanksgiving Day, but Target remained closed.

Meanwhile, in Union Square People may call Patricia Valazques crazy for standing in line in front of Best Buy since Wednesday afternoon, but she said she's crazy like a fox.

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"If you don't have the financial means to get a TV at like $500. You see a bargain. I'm saving 300 and some odd dollars," she WCBS 880's Monica Miller.

Cosy Rodriques, from the Lower East Side, said he had his eyes on plasma TVs and computers.

"Someone asked me 'Why you stay on the line for 11 hours.' I say 'Well I stand at my job for 13 hours.' I could pretty much sit down for 11 and get a good deal," he said.

Are you a Black Friday shopper?  Let us know in the comments section below...

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