Macy's Black Friday Began at Midnight

It was 15 minutes after midnight this morning, Friday, Nov. 23, and already boots were piling up in the women's shoe department of the Belmont Center Macy's.

Coming out of the back storage room, Macy's sales associate Jean Keny carries a box of Bearpaw boots for a customer who speaks Haitian Creole as does Keny.

"Busy," Keny said about the first few minutes of Black Friday in the Belmont store.

For the second year running, Macy's opened its stores at and around midnight – the Belmont Center store was granted a 12:30 a.m. opening by the Board of Selectmen on Monday but no one from Town Hall was around to check – and the store had for customers waiting to get in.

"My friend and I were up and decided to see the sales," said a customer back from New York University trying on a wide range of boots on sale of $39.99.

And unlike two Indiana Kmarts where police were called to break-up scuffles between customers event before the stores opened at 8 p.m. yesterday, Thanksgiving Day, Belmont Center was very quiet; those venturing to Leonard Street and the Claflin parking lot were mostly family members, spouses or those individuals wanting to stretch their legs after eating all day.

"We have more staff than customers right now," said Department Manager Allison Bucci looking around the jewelry counter where a couple was looking at the $199 1/2 caret diamond studs.

"Bargains. That's what the day is about," brought Mark Turner to Belmont from his home in Waltham to view necklaces with the woman he was with.

"We are happy to be participating in Macy's Black Friday midnight opening," said Bucci. "There are a great number of deals for our customers not just now but through out the day." 

"I like coming now because I'm going to be the only person here and I can get all my Christmas shopping done," said Ada Tedder who came last year.

"It's convenient, both being in Belmont and being open now. I like it."