Black Friday is known as the best day of the year for deals. For people all across the United States, it has been a tradition to go to the stores at midnight and race to find the best bargain. Gabriel Regalado ‘19 says, “I love Black Friday! My cousins and I go to Woodfield mall every year,;it’s packed!” Recently, there has been a significant change for Black Friday shoppers. Participating stores have begun opening up to the public earlier, around 5pm on Thanksgiving day. Has this ruined the tradition? Lisa Mei ‘18 says, “This year, Black Friday shopping seemed kind of pointless. There wasn’t the familiar rush of fighting through crowds of people at midnight. In attempts to keep the tradition alive, my friends and I still arrived to the mall at midnight, but most people were already leaving by then.”

Although, for some, early store openings have ruined the fun of Black Friday, it is possible that it is for the better. In the past, this day has proved to be extremely dangerous. In 2011, Walter Vance collapsed while shopping at Target and later died as fellow shoppers ignored him and even walked over his body as they continued shopping. This is just one example of many past deaths and injuries associated with Black Friday. The earlier the opening times, the smaller the crowds, and the safer the experience.

Photo courtesy of Business Insider