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

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

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.

Those in front of the line, Dale and Tracy Milleson, of Salina, started the line at 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 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.

The line had swelled to more than 1,000 when 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 early arrivers, 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.”


Read more about Black Friday in Saturday's Salina Journal.

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