Metro Atlanta shoppers line up to hunt for Black Friday bargains

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – While many in the Atlanta area are sleeping off their lavish Thanksgiving meals and waiting to shop online, others have banded together to search for great holiday deals.

The National Retail Federation reported that 183 million consumers will shop over the weekend and 65% of those still plan to shop in stores.

In Lawrenceville, hundreds braved the cold and waited in line at the Bass Pro Shops in Sugarloaf Mills, hoping to snag some bargains.

FOX 5’s Kim Leoffler saw people bringing blankets and even a portable space heater to make the sub-40-degree temperatures a little more bearable.

The store offered a big incentive for first-time buyers by offering free gift cards ranging from $10 to $500 to the first 250 customers.

The company expects to give away approximately $1 million in gift cards nationwide.

“I said, ‘Grab a blanket, put on your jackets, let’s go.’ “So I got the whole family here at 2:30 p.m., came to her house, made coffee and came straight here,” said shopper Tabitha Taylor.

At the Mall of Georgia, shoppers waited outside for hours before the doors opened, hoping to snag the perfect holiday gift at a great price.

The Gwinnett County sporting goods store wasn’t the only place offering lower prices.

“We live about an hour away. They came and picked me up at 5 p.m. so we drove, but all the sales are going really well,” said shopper Kendsey Ray.

According to a WalletHub survey, JCPenney, Belk and Macy’s are among the best Black Friday shopping spots in 2024, offering an average discount of at least 57%.

If you’re looking to get in on the fun, here’s when some major retailers will be open for deals on Black Friday.