Black Friday bargains draw crowds on Oahu

Shopping centers and big-box retailers on Oahu bustled with bargain hunters on Black Friday.

Christian Rojas, 19, and his friend Micah Dupio, 20, of Ewa Beach said they were the first in line at Best Buy in Aiea, arriving after midnight. The line had stretched to the sidewalk along Kamehameha Highway before the glass doors opened at 5 a.m.

“We were ready for everything,” said Rojas as he held a Cellucor C4 Starburst Strawberry energy drink he consumed to stay awake after celebrating Thanksgiving with friends Thursday night.“We brought blankets and pillows.”

Hawaii shoppers across the islands waited in long lines at stores seeking Black Friday deals to counter sky-high inflation of the past few months. Consumers are on a tighter budget this year because of inflation, said Tina Yamaki, president of the Retail Merchants of Hawaii. “People are looking for the best deals.”

At Pearlridge Center about 100 people waited for the Black Friday doors to open at 6 a.m. “This is really the first normal shopping season that we’ve had in three years,” General Manager David Cianelli said.

“You could just feel the energy,” Cianelli said Friday morning. “Everyone is smiling. Retailers are in a really good mood.”

Once the shopping center opened, lines were forming at several stores like Manaola, Bath &Body Works, Sweet Okole Jewelry and others. “Everybody was just really happy to kick off the holiday season with the Black Friday event,” Cianelli said.

Shopper Michelle Williams stood in line with her 28-year-old daughter at 4:30 a.m., waiting to enter Manaola. “I came for one thing, which was the backpack — the only backpack,” said Williams, who purchased a teal-colored one on display.

Manaola employees handed free boom clutch bags valued at $22 each to the first 100 shoppers who had patiently waited in line before the store opened at 6 a.m. The Hawaiian lifestyle fashion brand has a loyal following, and many waited to browse through the store’s exclusive collections.

Designer Manaola Yap was there to greet those who came, saying he was grateful to make connections with shoppers, especially at this time of year when everybody is sharing and gift-giving with family and friends. “It’s just great to be a part of that,” he said.

Live melodic music from singer Marja Lehua Apisaloma and musician Wailau Ryder filled the boutique as shoppers looked through racks of printed, patterned clothing.

Cianelli noted that more than 50% of retailers and eateries at Pearlridge are locally owned. “We always ask our community to please support those local owners when considering their holiday shopping and celebrations.” he said.

Just a few steps away from Manaola, keiki hopped on the Pearlridge Express Holiday Train, which also opened for rides Friday morning. “We certainly had a lot of kids riding the train and smiling and just having a great time,” Cianelli said, adding that the train will run through the holiday season.

At Ala Moana Center, throngs of shoppers filled the walkways and escalators at the open-air shopping mall in search of Black Friday deals.

Laurie Yoshinaga of Aina Haina held seven backpacks she purchased for friends from Local Motion after arriving at the store at 6 a.m. By 9:30 a.m. about 50 people were waiting to enter the store.

Lines also formed at Hollister, Homecoming Honolulu, Zumiez and other stores at Ala Moana Center.

Retain Merchants’ Yamaki said more people were at shopping centers such as Ka Makana Alii in Kapolei on Black Friday compared with 2021. The parking lot was packed, she said.

COVID-19 pandemic cases were still high in 2021, prompting many to shop online or do curbside pickup. “I think this year people are more comfortable. We’re seeing more people out and about at the malls,” Yamaki said.

She noted that holiday shopping for some retailers began in October. With merchants continuing to face shipping delays and supply chain issues, Yamaki advised shoppers to purchase an item they’re interested in when they come across it and not wait, because it may not likely be there the next time they go shopping.

She also reminded people to “shop with aloha,” as holiday shopping can be stressful with long lines and full parking lots.

“Have some patience,” Yamaki said, adding a lot of employees have been on their feet all day and working double shifts due to staff shortages.

A recent annual survey released by the National Retail Federation indicated almost 8 million more people than in 2021 planned to shop this weekend through Cyber Monday.

“While there is much speculation about inflation’s impact on consumer behavior, our data tells us that this Thanksgiving holiday weekend will see robust store traffic with a record number of shoppers taking advantage of our value pricing,” said NRF President and Chief Executive Officer Matthew Shay in a news release. “We are optimistic that retail sales will remain strong in the weeks ahead, and retailers are ready to meet consumers however they want to shop with great products at prices they want to pay.”

Dupio and Rojas said they spent a total of $400 on gaming products that include a new AOC monitor, Astro Gaming A10 headset, Hot Wheel collectible car toys and other items.

Rojas, who works multiple jobs that include busing at the Ichiriki Japanese Nabe Restaurant in Honolulu, driving for DoorDash and staging houses, said, “I’m about to go to work to accumulate some of the money back.”