DAY-AFTER SHOPPERS FIND NO WAITING LINES.Byline: Paul O'Donoghue Staff Writer Early birds lined up outside stores before 8 a.m. Sunday morning Sunday Morning may refer to:
But while many managers reported that stores were relatively uncrowded about midmorning mid·morn·ing n. The middle of the morning. after the initial rush, crowds increased again later in the day. ``It got really busy about 12:30 (p.m.) or 1 o'clock,'' said Allen Reynolds, the manager of Wal-Mart in Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. that opened in April. ``I guess people got up and went to church and then to Wal-Mart. We're going to have a really good day today. Most are buyers vs. the returning side of things.'' Reynolds said that about 75 customers were waiting outside the 130,000-square-foot store on Cochran Street when it opened at 8 a.m. and that most of them made straight for the Christmas wrapping paper Noun 1. wrapping paper - a tough paper used for wrapping kraft, kraft paper - strong wrapping paper made from pulp processed with a sulfur solution butcher paper - a strong wrapping paper that resists penetration by blood or meat fluids , artificial Christmas trees, ornaments, gift packs and other items that are on sale at 50 percent off the Christmas price. While her husband, Scott Wales Wales, Welsh Cymru, western peninsula and political division (principality) of Great Britain (1991 pop. 2,798,200), 8,016 sq mi (20,761 sq km), west of England; politically united with England since 1536. The capital is Cardiff. , pushed a shopping cart laden with Christmas wrapping paper, Christmas tissue, dish towels and gift sets including toiletries toi·let·ry n. pl. toi·let·ries An article, such as toothpaste or a hairbrush, used in personal grooming or dressing. toiletries npl → artículos mpl de aseo (= , Simi Valley resident Mary Anne Wales said she usually shops for bargains on Christmas staples a few days after Christmas, but decided to start early this year. ``This is the first time I've done it the day after Christmas Day,'' Wales said. ``Usually, by the time I shop, the stuff is pretty much picked over. This year I thought I'd do it the day after Christmas Day. It's been great what we got, and we're going to have breakfast now. I've got all my wrapping for next year so I'm really happy.'' Over at The Oaks mall in Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. , JC Penney store manager Pat Ford said that about 100 people waited for the store to open at 8 a.m. to take advantage of 50 percent off bargains in goods including winter wear, other outer wear, pajamas pajamas Noun, pl US pyjamas pajamas npl (US) → pijama msg; piyama msg (LAM and ornaments. Ford said most of the early birds were at the store to buy instead of return or exchange goods, because few of them carried parcels. ``You take note of that, and if they have a package with them it's probably a return or exchange, and a lot of people didn't, so they were here to shop,'' Ford said. Ford and several other managers said that crowds were light earlier in the day, likely due to the traditionally busy shopping day falling on a Sunday, when many are still away visiting family or enjoying the spectacularly good weather, and because many sales will continue and school is still out. Check-out and return lines moved briskly through many of the stores, managers reported. Many gift-givers had included receipts with their gifts so that lines moved more swiftly than other years, Ford said. ``I'd have to say that in the early part of the day, our customers have been in a very good, festive mood and look like they want to enjoy another good shopping experience,'' Ford said. ``We haven't had any bah, humbug people come in, and the parking is ample out there right now.'' Store managers generally reported that the number of customers coming by was what they anticipated. ``It's a steady stream, not overwhelming,'' said Linda Smith Linda Smith is the name of:
``It's about the same as what I'd anticipated, and we've staffed accordingly.'' Smith said most customers were shopping for storewide store·wide adj. Involving, applying to, or occurring throughout a whole store: a storewide sale; storewide renovations. bargains of as much as 30 percent off on everything from stuffed toys to Lego sets instead of returning or exchanging goods, and that crowds might increase as the store got closer to closing time at 8 p.m. Some stores were planning to stay open as late as 10 p.m. Customers enjoyed the brisk lines and lack of crowds. At Wal-Mart, four registers had been earmarked for returns and exchanges, but often only one was needed. Returning some T-shirts and dress shirts at Wal-Mart, Simi Valley resident Madeleine Edie and her mom, Wanda Dobkie, smiled as they breezed through the checkout. ``This is great. It's a lot faster than we thought it'd be,'' Edie said. ``We thought we'd have to stand in line. Right now, we didn't have to wait at all.'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (color) Terri Encinas Encinas is a municipality located in the province of Segovia, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census (INE), the municipality has a population of 68 inhabitants. doesn't have to wait in line for clerk Christina DeLaCruz to help her at the return register. Lilly Barrett/Special to the Daily News |
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