GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – Black Friday started before sunrise at Bay Park Square, where some shoppers were already lining up around 5:45 a.m. to snag early deals. Mall leaders say they’ve been preparing for weeks, with holiday decorations, promotions, and expanded hours now fully underway.
“We’ve been preparing for the holiday season and Black Friday for several weeks… and we had shoppers lining up at 5:45 at the major retailers,” said Susan Videle, Director of Marketing at Bay Park Square.
Videle says this year’s turnout has been “a lot busier” than last year, lining up with national consumer surveys that expect holiday spending to rise 3–3.5%.
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Shoppers told Local 5 that Black Friday is still about more than the deals — it’s about the tradition.
Laurie Malecki and Danielle Schuster—who go out together every year—say their routine starts right after Thanksgiving dinner.
“She spends the night at my house, then we get out bright and early,” they said.
Others, like Michelle and Mary Bobholz of De Pere, keep coming back for the people-watching and the chance to spend time together.
“We’ve been doing it since I was 15… we have some pretty hilarious stories over the years,” they said.
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Even with the growth of online shopping, Videle says more customers are blending both experiences this year, taking advantage of buy-online-pickup-in-store options while still coming out for the atmosphere.
Bay Park Square will also offer several holiday events in the coming weeks, including pet photos with Santa, Breakfast with Santa, and Caring Santa on December 7 — a sensory-friendly experience designed for children with special needs and their families.
