Mass. Shoppers Hunt For Black Friday Bargains

Some Massachusetts shoppers stood for hours in the rain on Friday to try to score deals on the biggest day of the year for retailers.

Some stores such as the Wrentham Village Premium Outlets opened at midnight.

Even during the wee hours of the morning, traffic along Route 1 was backed up in places. Lines wrapped around big box stores like Target and Best Buy before they opened. And for 20-year-old Marissa Ray from Medfield, it couldn’t have been better.

"It's fun," Ray said, laughing. "My parents think I’m crazy, but it’s a lot of fun."

She was shopping for clothes at the new mall in Dedham, Legacy Place. Patti Chitvanni was there, too. She's unemployed, and said she had to get in on some deals because of the economy.

"I guess I’m one of those people now that I’ve always laughed about to come out," Chitvanni said. "But you have to come early or you won’t get parking."

Before she was even done, Chitvanni’s car was full of $500 worth of toys, electronics and clothes, mostly for her kids.

"I feel optimistic," she said. "Even though I don’t have a job, I still feel more optimistic."

Jon Hurst, CEO of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, expects shoppers to spend slightly more this year on holiday gifts then they did last year.

But not all shoppers were upping their spending.

"We're just looking to try to lean it down a little bit," said Brian McFarland of Norwood, who was shopping in Dedham with his wife and daughter. "Maybe donate some money if we feel the urge to spend more, because a lot of people are hurting out there."

Nationwide, early signs point to a strong turnout on Black Friday.