Black Friday hours change as malls in the Chicago area welcome shoppers the day after Thanksgiving; Avrora Outlet Center fills up

AURORA, ill. (BLS) — Now that the holiday is over, many are gearing up for a weekend full of Black Friday shopping.

Shoppers woke up early looking for those deals, and they used Thanksgiving calories to fuel their mission.

Several stores reopened early Friday morning after staying closed over Thanksgiving.

And according to experts, you can expect more for your money this year.

“I was afraid that there would be queues. I wanted to get in before everything was sold out,” said customer Nancy Olson.

“I love great deals. I love deals and love shopping,” added shopper Nora Butterley.

Black Friday shopping has changed over the years, with some people starting Friday at 6am at Chicago Premium Outlets in Aurora.

Shortly before 1:00 p.m., Aurora police tweeted that the mall was full. Police have temporarily closed entrances and traffic is being diverted until further notice.

The mall was closed on Thursday and that was the case in most places.

Schaumburg’s Woodfield Mall also opened at 6am on Friday.

Fashion outlets in Rosemont open at 8:00.

VIEW MORE: Black Friday 2022: From Target and Walmart to Best Buy and Apple – Holiday Shopping Deals

And Oak Brook Mall opens at 9am.

Shoppers filled the Oakbrook Center stores all day.

For some, the crowd became overwhelming.

Trayvon Keys came to the mall because he had the day off.

“He is very busy. Many people. I don’t really like it,” Keys said.

This should be a big weekend for retailers as a survey shows that 80% of holiday shoppers plan to buy something this weekend. This is 10% more than last year.

The same survey also showed that these shoppers will spend at least half of their holiday budget this weekend.

“Retailers know they need to sweeten these deals for these inflation-conscious consumers, and so we’re already seeing some of the lowest prices on certain items,” said Christine McGrath, senior editor at RetailMeNot.

It’s gift season, but some people have been shopping for themselves. They couldn’t get past these deals.

“I just buy for myself, but if I see something that I think someone will like, I will buy it,” Butterley said.

“It’s not Christmas. I’m just pampering myself. I’ve already done my Christmas shopping,” customer Raven Spellman said.

She said she usually makes her Thanksgiving Black Friday plan. She does some shopping first and then meets up with friends to help them make their rounds.

“So when they come in — whichever store they want to go to — I just wait in line because I already left before them,” Spellman said.

Some came to the Oakbrook Center not to shop, but to pay a visit to Santa with their list, knowing that Black Friday deals are no match for Santa.

Aurora police said there would be significant traffic delays due to the mall’s reopening.