Black Friday shopping turnout in the Lowcountry

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Black Friday is finally here and shoppers around the Lowcountry are taking advantage of the big deals.

Many shoppers arrived at Tanger Outlets at 5 a.m. to get started on their holiday shopping and get exclusive products.

“We sat down last night after Thanksgiving dinner making lists for each other and our family. It’s probably took two hours to make lists,” said Shelby Garner, a Black Friday shopper.

Tanger Outlets opened at 6 a.m. Friday morning, but people started lining up as early as Thursday night to make sure they could get their hands on doorbuster deals. Shoppers told News 2 it’s a tradition they look forward to every year.

“The lines are really long and crazy so there been a lot of waiting. It’s a tradition my mom, and I do. We woke up at 5:15 a.m. and got to target at 5:45 a.m. …We were looking for the new Taylor Swift book,” said shopper Elle Brace.

Tanger Outlets officials said that this has been one of their biggest years for Black Friday shoppers. They’ve had lines out the door at Nike, Kate Spade, Sephora, and more.

“It grows every single year, you can’t really replace the magic of being able to touch the product and know it’s actually going to work,” Andrea Gervacio, the Marketing Director of Tanger Outlets.

With the rise of online shopping, Tanger Outlets officials are finding unique ways to encourage people to come out in person. If you download their mobile app on Friday, you can get free hot chocolate or coffee at the Tanger holiday truck and get extra savings.

Those who made the trip said it was well worth it to come in person.

“I think it’s more of a feeling you get, obviously the instant gratification is fun, but for me, it reminds me of my childhood and it’s fun to shop in a mall decorated for Christmas,” said Addie Dawson, a Black Friday shopper.

If you couldn’t make it out Black Friday, many of the sales are ongoing this weekend. Tanger Outlets officials suggest carpooling or getting a ride to avoid traffic and parking hassles.