Monroeville Mall, 10:22 a.m.
Weezy Cohen, 9, of the North Side, and her mother, Tiney Dean, 41, of the North Side, don't usually go Black Friday shopping.
"I was off school, and my mom was off work, and there was nothing else to do," Ms. Cohen said excitedly, adding that they first arrived at the mall at exactly 9:10 a.m.
In her hands, she toted around a full bag from Justice. She bought herself Christmas night clothes, hair scrunchies, shirts and a number of other accessories.
Ms. Dean, though, was finishing up her Christmas shopping for friends and family.
"The stores that have really great deals -- like JC Penny and Victoria's Secret, the places that send out coupons -- they're really busy," she said.
Little's Shoes in Squirrel Hill, 9:45 a.m.
So much about shoe shopping has changed since Jerry Antoncic, 57, started working at Little's Shoes almost four decades ago. But not his 1970's taste in loud blazers - and not Black Friday.
"Fortunately this is one day that has remained the same," he said, helping Jamesen Goodman, 70, to a pair of grey booties.
It's because of people like Ms. Goodman, who lives in Silver Spring, Md. and has made a tradition of the post-turkey day trip to Little's with her daughter, who lives in Squirrel Hill, that the neighborhood shoe store has retained its allure.
Mr. Antoncic is expecting several out of town families today.
"The more chaotic it gets, the more people buy and the quicker," he said.
Both Ms. Goodman and her daughter settle on a pair of shoes each and Mr. Antoncic, practiced salesman that he is, suggests they should turn their attention to presents.
"Are you thinking about anyone other than yourselves today?" he said.
Monroeville Mall, 9:44 a.m.
Husband and wife Dave and Karen Smith of Monroeville finished all of their holiday shopping for their grandchildren in under two hours.
Ms. Smith, 68, said she always makes a list beforehand.
"I'm not a shopper, but I do it for Christmas."
As part of their holiday tradition, she purchased two stuffed animals from Kay's Jewelers to support St. Jude Children Research Hospital.
Mr. Smith, 69, said with a laugh that he's his wife's "pack mule," carrying around all of the bags.
He noted that this year's Black Friday is a far cry from the ones a decade ago.
"The online shopping is probably hurting the mall," Mr. Smith said.
Best Buy at the Waterfront, 9 a.m.
Joy Young of Braddock Hills had already crossed off her shopping list six poinsettias, an outdoor heat lamp, a sweeper, a cactus, and a Christmas tree. And here's the problem: the car is now so full there's no place to put the 42-inch TV.
So Ms. Young found a seat next to her husband Neal Young (yep, that's his real name) while their daughter, Nina Young of Maryland, tried to arrange putting the TV on hold for a later trip.
Next up: Macy's for wine glasses.
"They're $10 until 1 (p.m.) and then they give you a rebate, so it costs nothing," Nina Young said. "And then we'll probably end up by opening the bar at Rock Bottom."
A smile spread across Mr. Young's face.
Monroeville Mall, 8:55 a.m.
Friends Wendy Drolz, 47, of Springdale, and Tammy Belohlavek, 48, of Penn Hills, began their shopping spree at Kohl's in Monroeville, where they said there were no lines at all.
"We stay away from the crazy stores like Target and Walmart where the toys are," Ms. Belohlavek said while shopping in the purse aisle at Macy's in the Monroeville Mall.
Ms. Drolz, who had so far shopped for her family at Rue 21, American Eagle and Dick's Sporting Goods, was happy to see that the mall didn't open until 6 a.m. Friday this year.
"No store should be open on Thanksgiving."
Target in Harmar, 8:45 a.m.
Mary Ellen and Chuck Palajsa started shopping bright and early, about 7:15 on Friday.
After stopping by Walmart for deals, they swung by Target in Harmar for a gift they had their eye on: a flat screen TV.
"Now it's time to head home," said Ms. Palajsa of Etna. "That's it for now."
Target in Harmar, 8:30 a.m.
Jennifer Kelly, of Indiana Township, said she used to follow the traditional Black Friday shopping plan -- wake up around 6 a.m. and hit the stores.
But this year she had a more focused approach.
"I just can't stand the lines anymore,” Ms. Kelly said as she loaded a flat screen tv into her car outside of Target in Harmar. She only shopped for about a half hour and found what she was looking for.
"I have a few more stores to hit," said Ms Kelly. "Hopefully I'll have as much luck there as I did here."
Some on Internet opt OUT
As shoppers searched for deals both online and in stores, a few decided to take the day after Thanksgiving off.
Sporting goods chain REI Co-op marked its third year in a row of opting out. That meant that 151 stores went dark and no online sales were processed on Black Friday. Instead, the company said it paid its 12,000 employees to spend the day outdoors.
“Right now, I think people are looking for a moment to take a breath, reground themselves and come together," Jerry Stritzk, REI's CEO, said in a statement.
REI also launched a new search engine at REI.com/opt-outside to encourage outdoor activities.
Online fashion hub, ModCloth, also took Friday off. The vintage clothing retailer shut down its website and gave employees the day off so "workers and shoppers can focus on things that make them feel good - namely donating to charity."
“It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays and we wanted to do something different and remind our community that this time of year is about friends, family and helping others in need," Nicole Haase, ModCloth's vice president and general merchandising manager, said in a statement.
The company, founded in 2002 in Pittsburgh and was acquired by Walmart earlier this year, said it's accepting nominations for those who are working in their communities. It also is donating merchandise to Dress for Success, a non-profit that provides professional attire for women.
First Published: November 24, 2017, 2:15 p.m.
Updated: November 24, 2017, 5:15 p.m.
