Back at the stores: bargain hunting
By Phyllis Moore and Josh Ellerbrock
Published in News on December 26, 2013 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Shoppers were out early today at Berkeley Mall, looking to cash in gift cards, make exchanges and search for bargains on the day after Christmas. Many stores planned post-holiday sales.
It's not Black Friday, but the day after Christmas is still a big draw for many shoppers.
And not necessarily as an opportunity to return presents that weren't to the recipient's liking.
Machelle Bass and her mother, Ruth Outlaw, said they were enticed to venture out by the sales.
"They have a buy-one-get-one-free (sale) and then with coupons," Mrs. Bass explained, holding up a set of silverware she planned to purchase.
The duo said they kicked off their shopping day at Belk, arriving around 7:30.
"We're going all over the mall and then we're going to Ross. They have 75 percent off all day," Mrs. Bass said.
"I'm just along for the ride," her mother said. "I may find something I want. I'm just keeping her company."
Kim Copeland also arrived at the mall empty-handed.
"I'm not returning (anything)," she said. "I'm out looking for some good deals or perhaps birthday or Christmas presents for the upcoming year.
"It's raining, cold and I have company coming in for breakfast, but I thought it would be a good opportunity to just slip in here and see what I could find."
At Bath and Body Works, Denise Graham of Virginia was accompanied by her nieces, Jasmine Graham of Fayetteville and Jannese Cotton of LaGrange.
"We're just shopping for bargains," they said in unison.
"Then we're going out to eat breakfast and back home," Denise said.
Browsing at Sears, Annie Reid admitted she had a dual purpose for being out early today.
"I'm looking for both (bargains and returns)," she said. "I'm doing good. I found my crystal that I wanted, and I found a few tops."
Christel Mozingo of Goldsboro and her mother-in-law, Patsy Mozingo, already had bags filled with holiday wrapping paper that had gone on sale at Hallmark.
"I'm getting stuff 50 percent off," Christel said.
And more, if possible, chimed in Patsy.
"I even picked up a few gifts for next year," her daughter-in-law said.
Holly Kennedy and her trio of children, however, weren't out for deals the day after Christmas. The family was returning clothing back to K-Mart that were a few sizes too small.
A.J. Hall, 6, quickly confirmed that the clothes held by his sisters were not his, and his Christmas gifts, which he was wearing, fit just right.
Decked out in the bright blue of Duke University, he talked a mile a minute trying to explain every intricacy of his new outfit and quickly unzipped the overcoat Superman style to proudly reveal the Duke University Blue Devils logo.
"We're really diehard Duke fans," Mrs. Kennedy explained.
After Kmart, the family planned on heading over to Walmart to make use of some of the gift cards given to the children for yet another and final round of Christmas shopping.