Those rushing to the store this Black Friday had a change of pace from the normal hustle and bustle.
The pandemic may have kept more shoppers home to shop online and avoid crowds, but Central Coast residents and out-of-towners still hit the stores Friday to take advantage of the traditional in-person deals.
Many shoppers say they saw fewer crowds and shorter lines on a day when many are fighting for deals.
At the Pismo Beach Outlets, eager buyers lined up as early at 5:30 Friday morning. Shoppers waited in line outside, as many stores limited the of number guests to maintain social distancing.
“The lines have been a little bit more strict, they have been keeping social distancing, sanitizing everything they touch, everything we use too," 29 Palms resident Daniel Acosta said.
Shoppers at larger retail stores like Walmart in Arroyo Grande said they saw fewer crowds this Black Friday.
“It was pretty casual. It was better than last year, there were no lines, we were in and out," Anthony Leornas, a Nipomo resident said.
Several people opting to shop in-person say they were able to find sales and felt safe about shopping during the pandemic.
“I felt very comfortable, it was wonderful being able to come in here," Oceano resident Vern Dahl said.
In Santa Maria, store manager of World 1-1 Games says their store stayed busy since Friday morning and cleared out a majority of their sales.
“We had plenty of customers, lots of people lined up out this morning," World 1-1 Games manager Kyrianan Ruiz said.
Some shoppers say they will be holding out for sales on Cyber Monday, set to kick off at midnight on Nov. 30 for Walmart in stores and on Walmart.com.
Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, experts are predicting to see some of the highest online sales in history.
