I’m not a shopper. I dislike crowds, lines, and browsing for things in stores. My wife, on the other had, is a champion shopper. We’re probably like 90 percent of the husbands and wives of America. Not much of a story there. The story is that one Black Friday a couple years back, I actually found myself rising early in the late November darkness on the day after stuffing myself with a Thanksgiving feast. And I was rising to go shopping. What had happened to me? Had I gone insane? I really can’t say for sure except to admit that I had a decent time in the crowds and standing in line and browsing for things. Actually, I wasn’t browsing. I was competing. And the competition was other shoppers who, like me, were out to get the best deal out there.
I’ll admit that I haven’t been to a Black Friday sale since, and don’t plan to go this year, but I am observant and have a good idea what is happening and where.
Where are the best Black Friday shopping locales on Oahu?
Best sales # 1: Walmart. Here on high-cost-of-living Oahu, Walmart’s day-to-day prices are a notch or two lower than other places on the island. And come Black Friday, the prices are even lower. It’s not unusual for people to be carting out TV sets, cases of Spam (yes, we love Spam here in Hawaii), computers, and the like. Typically, local shoppers camp out outside Walmart in anticipation of the opening of doors for business on Black Friday. From what I have heard, an effective strategy is to scout out the store on Thanksgiving day/evening to get to know the lay of the land because once the doors open, you’d best know what you want and where to get or or you risk getting trampled by the stampede. Well, I’m exaggerating, but not by much. Another strategy is work as a team. That is, if you can partner up with other family members or friends and work together to get things being sought, you are more likely to land those items as opposed to working alone. Being part of a team on Black Friday is a good thing. On Oahu, Walmarts are located in Mililani, Kunia, Pearl City, and Keaaumoku (by Ala Moana), so there are ample places to go and camp the night before Black Friday.
Best Sales # 2: Ala Moana Shopping Center. Boasting 260 stores, Ala Moana is still the king of shopping centers on the islands. Anchor stores include Sears, Macy’s, and Neiman Marcus. Upper tier Black Friday shoppers can also check out stores such as Louis Vitton, Cartier, Gucci, and Dior.
Best sales # 3: K-Mart. K-Mart plays second fiddle to Walmart on Oahu, but good deals can be had here nonetheless. K-Mart has four locations on Oahu: Waikele, Iwilei (near downtown), Stadium Mall, and Kapolei. Waikele is probably the best of four for Black Friday, mostly because it is located near to other primo Black Friday locations in the Waikele Shopping Complex. Meanwhile, the Kapolei store is best situated for Oahu’s west side residents.
Best Sales # 4: Pearlridge Shopping Center: While Ala Moana is king, Pearlridge is queen and boasts anchors stores Sears and Macy’s. Circuit City, also part of the complex, is a good draw come Black Friday. Of note for toy shoppers is KB Toys, which last year opened at midnight to kick off Black Friday. I anticipate a similar midnight opening this year.
Best Sales #5: Windward Mall: This center attempts to draw in residents from the island’s windward coast. Like the other two main malls, Windward Mall is also anchored by Sears and Macy’s.
Best Sales for tech stuff: CompUSA. They open at midnight on Black Friday. A good tip: go with a partner. One of you stands in line (which tends to be very long). The other one grabs the goods. Less waiting that way.
Wherever you go (or if you decide not to, like me), have a safe and happy day, and joyous holiday season.
