HARLINGEN – Omar Castro grasped bundles of presents in his arms, his sister going through racks of clothes.
“We are getting Christmas gifts,” said Castro, 55, as his sister Rebecca Claudio chose several items from the racks at JCPenney, at Valle Vista Mall.
Shoppers had flooded the store Friday morning to take advantage of Black Friday deals; Castro and Claudio had come later in the morning, preferring to fuel up on breakfast first and miss the heavy crowds.
“It’s awesome,” said Claudio. “We are still finding what we are looking for. Usually that’s hard to do.”
Stores throughout the city opened to eager shoppers Friday searching for holiday discounts. Fresh clothing in Christmas colors adorned the shelves at JCPenney drawing customers like magnets. A woman strolled briskly through the store with black slacks and a fluttering blouse. A child cried softly at her mother’s arm. A woman in a gray knit sweater walked with her male companion headed to the doors with heavy bags.
“I found a basket,” someone called out.
“Can you check if this is $19.99?” a woman asked a cashier.
Jackson Street in Downtown Harlingen seemed deserted on the outside, but inside Down Home Market shoppers browsed aisles filled with antique furniture, jewelry, worn books, decoupage, vintage coins …
“I just got here,” said Sam Gensch, 22. “We’re looking for Christmas gifts for the family. We are looking for jewelry and antiques, trying to decorate the house. There is some really nice jewelry.”
Wal-Mart was packed with shoppers. A mother pushed a cart with a pasta playset and browsed the perfume section. A boy wearing a camouflage face mask falling like a curtain to his chest shopped with his mother and sister, a man pushed a Christmas bicycle toward a cashier line, and another wore a shirt with a Buc-ee’s chipmunk.
“We bought a Christmas tree and an inflatable snowman,” said Jessica Campos as she pushed her basket toward her car.
She and her companion didn’t go shopping Friday in search of specials.
“We just came,” she said. “It was good today.”
She referred to a very obvious lack of chaos from throngs of customers.
“It’s not the usual Black Friday,” Campos said.
Back at JCPenney, Dalia Valdez said the same thing.
“It’s not as hectic as years past,” said Valdez, carrying a comforter she planned to purchase at a discount price.
She’d come specifically for the comforter, but the thinning crowds had persuaded her to stay a little longer.
“I am going to look around and see if I find anything else,” she said.
JCPenney General Manager Ivone Leyta said the popular store had enjoyed a fine Black Friday.
“We had a huge crowd coming at 5 in the morning,” Leyta said. “We have a lot of specials, and they are taking advantage of all that.”
Meanwhile the rattling of carts and the smells of new clothing and the taste of something grand and sweet filled the store and the snippets of conversations and announcements continued.
“I don’t know where my husband is. Is he still shopping?”
“Customer Michelle, come to the salon.”
A woman and her husband headed toward the door as she declared, “I got $10 off.”
