Focus on customer safety for Black Friday
Local retailers are gearing up for big crowds on Black Friday, the traditional madhouse kickoff to the holiday shopping season.
But they’re doing it with more than cash registers in mind.
Safety, both for shoppers and staff, is their foremost concern, they said.
On Black Friday last year, a Walmart worker in Long Island, New York, was trampled to death in a 5 a.m. rush of thousands of shoppers.
The Kohl’s store in the Janesville Mall this year is planning for large crowds, said Vicki Shamion, vice president of public Relations and Community Relations, Kohl's Department Stores.
“We use several methods to attempt to control crowds including stanchion sets and opening a limited number of entrances to control the flow and direction of traffic,” she said. “We position associates at the front of the store in order to answer customer questions and direct them to locations of key departments and items.”
For a full story, read Thursday's Janesville Gazette, read online in the Gazette’s E-Edition or check back at GazetteXtra.com.
Nov 19, 2009 at 10:09 p.m.
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Acer: Maxine is one smart cartoon lady!
Nov 19, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.
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Humbug!
Nov 19, 2009 at 6:43 p.m.
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*falls out of chair laughing at DiGriz's comment*
Happy Turkey Day ,dude. Thanks for your service.
Nov 19, 2009 at 6:28 p.m.
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As Maxine says, "If you get up early and go shopping today, you can save a ton of money. Of course, if your roll over and say, "Screw shopping this year," you can save even more."
Nov 19, 2009 at 4:27 p.m.
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I've done it. No more.
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SarahB1 - I'm with ya on that too.
Nov 19, 2009 at 4:19 p.m.
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This is a tradition for my friends and I and I am glad that my daughter, 11, will be joining us for the first time this year. If you have never gone, you wouldn't understand it. There is a type of commadarie about it. We hit Starbucks early and have a plan for each store that we go to. WE hurry in, grab the stuff, and get in line to go. We usually only do 3-4 stores, but, it is exciting, as you strike up conversations with others and talk about who you are buying for. It is exhausting, but, fun. Menards was THE WORST last year. Every where else was prepared..
Nov 19, 2009 at 2:54 p.m.
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To put it mildly, I hate to shop no matter what day it is. I definitely won't be out among the crazies the day after Thanksgiving.
Nov 19, 2009 at 2:37 p.m.
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Seriously?.....no buying lots of presents this year. Will be careful with funds as they are meager and need to cover many.
Nov 19, 2009 at 11:19 a.m.
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My Christmas shopping is done! Anything else I might neet to get between now and Dec. 25 I'll buy online and have it shipped!
Nov 19, 2009 at 10:33 a.m.
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Idiots.
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My opinion is that the stores add fuel to these idiots fire by continually promoting these "SALES". "Oh, my God, you can't save any money unless you show up at noon on Thanksgiving and spend the night just to be the first in line when the stores open up"!!!!!
Nov 19, 2009 at 8:53 a.m.
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I bet you the same people who are constantly moaning and groaning about buying American are the same ones in line at Wal-Mart at 5 in the morning to get their hands on all these "fantastic Christmas deals." If there ever was a perfect example of the "Sheeple" mentality, this is it.
And to think, the whole reason for this mania is supposedely to celebrate a religious holiday.
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