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What bargains suburban shoppers found in early hours

Shoppers Friday were celebrating the deals they found at suburban malls as the traditional start of the holiday shopping season got under way earlier than ever.

It was only a little after 7 a.m. when Nash Wan Shahrin said, “I don't want to shop anymore.” Surrounded by packages, the 22-year-old college student collapsed on a bench at Chicago Premium Outlets in Aurora, having already spent seven hours shopping — after driving with his buddies all the way from Iowa.

Shoppers like Wan Shahrin are music to retailers' ears.

At Woodfield Shopping Center in Schaumburg, the biggest of the Chicago area malls, “sales have been up every month this year,” said Marc Stritch, general manager.

And the mall seemed headed for a sales gain over Black Friday a year ago, as the mall opened at 4 a.m., an hour earlier than last year, with 31 stores and restaurants opening at midnight.

“It took us eight minutes to give away Santa hats to the first 1,000 shoppers,” Stritch said. “The Wednesday before Thanksgiving we were up 7 percent as far as total customers are concerned. And this year the inventory level is definitely stronger than a year ago going into the season.”

Melissa Troy, manager of Macy's at Woodfield, said customers responded to the store opening at midnight for the first time. Last year it opened at 4 a.m.

“In some cases, I think it's almost easier for shoppers,” she said. “They can just stay up till midnight rather than getting up to be here at 4 a.m. or staying up till 4 a.m.”

Here's what some of the shoppers had to say about the deals they found and the bargains they didn't need, but couldn't resist:

$40 earphones

No sleep Thanksgiving night didn't matter to Cynthia Kraemer, 34. The Downers Grove woman found a $40 set of earphones — her best deal — and a Superman costume from the Gap for her nephew after joining her sister at midnight to hit the stores at Chicago Premium Outlets.

“Hanging out with the family is what it's all about,” she said.

Outshopping himself

Mike Rasmussen was particularly happy with one of the purchases he made Friday morning at the Best Buy store in Kildeer.

The Minneapolis resident picked up the second-season DVD collection of the hit comedy show “Modern Family” for $8.99 — $4 less than he paid for the same item earlier in the morning at a Target store.

“I was surprised to see it cheaper,” said Rasmussen, who spent Thanksgiving with his girlfriend and her family in Barrington. He planned to return the first set to Target.

Cheap jeans, at a price

The perfect leggings-style jeans were two for $50 at PacSun at Woodfield. As pleased as she was with the purchase, Brenda Hernandez, 17, of Wheeling thinks this might be her last 6 a.m. Black Friday shopping trip with her mother.

“I could have gotten these prices at 5 p.m. and gotten a good night's sleep,” she said.

Bearable bargain

Nancy Anderson of Elk Grove Village was thrilled to find gingerbread bears at Build-A-Bear Workshop at Woodfield. She bought two for $5 each for her 7-year-old twins, and got each of the toys a $5 outfit, too.

“When I saw the ad I thought they would be tiny, tiny,” she said, pleased when they turned out to be at least a foot tall.

Levi's in America

It was Reyna Zhang's first Black Friday. A 20-year-old student at Rice University in Houston, she linked up with three other Chinese students to hit Chicago Premium Outlets in Aurora.

“It's really crazy,” Zhang said.

She didn't sleep Thursday night, instead searching for the best deals for gifts for her family. She waited for 30 minutes to get her hands on a pair of Levi's jeans and another 30 minutes to try them on in the fitting room. But it was all worth it when she bought three pairs for $90, she said of her 12-hour shopping trip.

Price good, colors ...

Sumaia Fatima of Des Plaines was not crazy about the colors in the twin comforter and sheets that she found at Sears for $16.99, but she was crazy about the price — half the normal $34.

Fatima and Safai Fahad, also of Des Plaines, made it to Woodfield at 4 a.m. with their young children and left about 9:15 a.m. with several gifts.

It was Fatima's first Black Friday excursion. “I really wanted to see how it would be,” she said, even though she had to cook for family from out of town. “I liked it.”

iPod clocks for all

Lake Zurich residents Mitch and Gina Crawmer found a few good deals at the Best Buy store in Kildeer on Friday morning. But neither had intended to do shopping when they went to bed Thursday.

“We just kind of woke up and said, ‘We're up. Let's go,'” Gina Crawmer said.

They picked up a 32-inch Samsung LCD television for themselves and four clock radios with iPod docks.

“One of these is for us, and the other three are gifts,” Mitch Crawmer said of the devices, which were half price at $50 each.

Discount hoodie

Yolinda King of Calumet City is a veteran Black Friday shopper who has hit Gurnee Mills and Chicago Premium Outlets in past years but picked Woodfield this year. While disappointed she didn't find more bargain gifts for her two children, she was pleased with the 40 percent discounts she got at the GAP on a hoodie that retails for $34.95 and a thermal shirt regularly $16.95.

Black Thanksgiving?

George Stuart, manager of JC Penney's at Woodfield, opened his store at 3:30 a.m. even though a 4 a.m. opening was advertised. It is possible that all the early Thanksgiving week sales will make Black Friday passe, he said, with a tinge of regret.

“More and more retailers are opening at midnight, some on Thanksgiving. It takes a little bit away from the Black Friday tradition,” he said.

Ÿ Daily Herald staff writers Deborah Donovan, Russell Lissau and Katlyn Smith contributed to this report.

Images: Black Friday

  Long lines, such as this one at the Coach store, were a common sight all night as Black Friday got an early start at Chicago Premium Outlets in Aurora. Bev Horne/bhorne@dailyherald.com
  Daniel Rodriguez of Venezuela says this shirt from A/X Armani Exchange in Woodfield was his best deal even though he spent $69, which he thinks was the regular price. Deborah Donovan/ddonovan@dailyherald.com
  Nancy Anderson of Elk Grove Village paid $5 each for a gingerbread boy and girl for her twins. They are valued at $14 each at Build-A-Bear Workshop. She got outfits for $5 each, too. Deborah Donovan/ddonovan@dailyherald.com
  Sumaia Fatima of Des Plaines got a comforter set for $16.99 at Sears at Woodfield. Deborah Donovan/ddonovan@dailyherald.com
  Brenda Hernandez of Wheeling found two pairs of jeans on sale while shopping at Woodfield Shopping Center in Schaumburg Friday. JOE LEWNARD/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Yolinda King of Calumet City shows tops she purchased on sale at Woodfield Shopping Center in Schaumburg Friday. JOE LEWNARD/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Mitch and Gina Crawmer of Lake Zurich show off the television that was their best Black Friday feal. Russell Lissau/rlissau@dailyherald.com
  Mike Rasmussen, 27, of Minneapolis says his best deal on Black Friday was a “Modern Family” DVD. Russell Lissau/rlissau@dailyherald.com
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