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Watch a slideshow of the early morning shoppers. Photos by Jeff Cooper.

Workers stood like toy soldiers near the cash registers, some wearing Santa hats, as a growing line of shivering shoppers waited outside of Kohl's, 2580 S. Ninth.

It was 3:53 a.m., minutes before the department store, which opened in March, launched its first Black Friday in Salina. The day after Thanksgiving brings out hordes of people eager to take advantage of discounted merchandise.

A line of people, standing four abreast in places, stretched more than 100 yards to the south, then turned east at the store.

Those in front of the line, Dale and Tracy Milleson, of Salina, had been there since 1:20 a.m. Salinan Wayne Pancoast was there, too, with hot chocolate to keep him warm.

"We're shopping for ourselves," Tracy Milleson said.

"I think this is the fullest I've seen the parking lot since they opened," Dale Milleson said.

The traditional beginning of Christmas shopping season brought thousands to Salina on Friday morning to snare some great deals and fill their Christmas gift lists. Several stores advertised big sales and early store openings.

Some shoppers pitched tents Thursday night at Target, 2939 Market Place.

The line had swelled to more than 1,000 by the time the store opened at 5 a.m.

"I don't know what's in there that's that valuable, but God bless 'em," said Randy Meier, a Target maintenance worker. He helped hand out shopping bags to those who arrived earliest and store maps to everyone.

Prior to the 4 a.m. opening at Kohl's, associate Michele Pittenger strolled along the legion of hopefuls hunting for some of the store's more than 300 "Earlybird specials" printed on its advertisement.

"There are rules," she instructed. "If you knock someone down, you can't step over them. You have to help them up. Good luck, ladies and gentlemen."

Monica Nigh, of McPherson, was still in her "jammies," standing with friends, some fellow registered nurses.

She awakened at 11 p.m. Thursday to prepare for the early morning excursion.

"It's getting closer. We can feel it," one of the McPherson contingent said as they stared through the glass storefront at store workers milling about.

"We can't talk no more. We have to focus," said Heidi Pearson, of the McPherson group.

Suddenly, the Kohl's doors opened and, in a rushed but orderly fashion, shoppers filed in and disappeared briefly in the aisles loaded with merchandise.

Within minutes, checkers were busy pecking away at registers. Some shoppers who had been looking for only one or two items emerged quickly. Small appliances, toys, fancy bedding, binoculars, Karaoke machines, sets of dishes and Christmas trees were among the early grabs.

"We have something for everyone, in all price points," store manager Kathleen Baldwin said while directing the spirited traffic and giving directions to specific displays.

By 4:10 a.m., she'd been at work for more than two hours.

Enthusiasm and the inventory levels were holding up well at midmorning.

Baldwin said she was still "pumped and ready to go." The store was scheduled to stay open until midnight.

Shoppers walked in with sale circulars. Tracy Milleson had circled the items she sought, including electronics.

"They definitely know what they want," Baldwin said.

Teresa Pihl, of Falun, saved $90 on a bedding set for her daughter, Ashley, 16, who was "still in bed" at home.

Next on her list was electronics at Walmart, as soon as her shopping party was finished at Kohl's.

Pihl got up early for the "bargains" and the "fun" in finding good buys.

"Most people are in a pretty good mood this early," she said.

Pihl, part of a farming family, said she plans ahead for Christmas shopping and expects to spend about the same amount of money this year as in the past.

Harvest was decent this fall, she said.

"The price isn't as good. We had a pretty good year bushel-wise," Pihl said.

South Ninth Street was moderately busy in the wee hours Friday, resembling typical weekday traffic, only with headlights on.

The Target parking lot was packed with cars and people, some dancing and singing.

Dakota Barleen and Nick Rice, both 16 and juniors at Salina Central High School, were out to purchase doodle pads and a vacuum cleaner.

"We're picking up stuff for somebody else," Rice said.

"I ended up getting one of those music rocker chairs," he said later Friday.

Behind them were Salinans Jenni Lundgrin and her niece Reagan Hughes. Lundgrin intended to complete 90 percent of her Christmas shopping Friday, spending up to $450 and saving about $150 with the Black Friday bargains. Planned stops included Target, Walmart, Kohl's, Kmart, J.C. Penney and Lowe's.

Perched on a bench outside of Target, Dale Perez, of Gypsum, marveled at the mass of humanity, dealing with the cold so they could shop for less. Three of them were his daughters -- Diana Pomeroy, of Topeka, Daphne Nusz, of Augusta, and Danielle Ritzlaff, of Hesston. They wanted their father to see for himself.

"It's everything they told me," said Perez, 71. "I didn't see a lot of pushing and shoving, yet."

Next door to Target, at Sam's Club, 2919 Market Place, there were about a dozen people waiting at 4:23 a.m. Eight minutes later, the crowd had swelled to about 50.

Shortly after the 5 a.m. opening, Mark and Glenna Campbell were first to emerge with a purchase -- a large flat-screen television.

They weren't planning to wrap this gift.

"I'm putting it on the wall," Mark Campbell said. "Today is Christmas, and it is for us."

Folks standing in line at Kmart saw a strategically placed sign at nearby Ringers Tavern, 433 S. Broadway: "Black Friday Special: Husbands Shop Here."

"I've got a few (customers) in here," bartender Marlene Best said prior to 8 a.m.

n Reporter Tim Unruh can be reached at 822-1419 or by e-mail at tunruh@salina.com.

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