JCPenney OPENED At 6 MORNING ON BLACK FRIDAY

 If any Gray Thursday shoppers had energy left by 6am Friday, they may have been standing in line at JCPenney.It's one of the last big stores left that is mantaining the tradition of opening early -- but not too early -- the day after Thanksgiving.



Despite starting her shopping frenzy at 5pm standing in line at Walmart Thursday evening, Rebecca Quist of Hastings and her young son were first at the gate inside the mall."Just because of the values we were receiving on the few items. There's so few items that we really need in life and desire, that the value was there," she said.

For Sheila Cook of Grand Rapids though, JCPenney was her first stop.
"I didn't feel like being with the crowds, this is a much smaller crowd," she said.Cook's other reason for starting Friday morning was to honor her Thanksgiving traditions.

"It's very important because I have parents that are still alive, my mom and dad, and brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews, so it was very important, especially my parents," she said.Managers at JCPenney said that's the sole reason they decided to stick with their normal Black Friday open, despite increasing pressures to open earlier every year.

Seventy percent of the stores in Woodland mall opened at midnight, including competitor Macy's.

"We wanted to give back to America's traditional Thanksgiving holiday, which is allowing our customers and our team members the opportunity to really enjoy the day and enjoy family," said JCPenney store leader Karen Bowyer.

While nearly 600 people -- combined at all five entrances -- waited in line, Miki Hendrick of Sparta wasn't happy about it.
"No, every place else opened at 8:00 or midnight and it would have been nice if Penney's opened a little earlier," she said.
Still, she and her family -- three generations of shoppers -- bought into Penney's deals, then headed out of the mall for more.
"Menards and then Wal-Mart again," said Hendrick.

The Woodland Mall store spokesman said thousands of people packed into the mall right at midnight, and mostly headed to Victoria's Secret, American Eagle Outfitters, Banana Republic, Bath and Body Works, and other stores in that section of the mall.