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I went to a Brooklyn mall on Black Friday and found it empty, confirming the holiday isn't the shopping bonanza it once washttps://www.businessinsider.in/i-went-to-a-brooklyn-mall-on-black-friday-and-found-it-empty-confirming-the-holiday-isnt-the-shopping-bonanza-it-once-was/while-a-few-more-shoppers-had-shown-up-by-around-900-and-stores-such-as-payless-shoes-and-verizon-had-opened-the-crowds-especially-compared-to-the-amount-of-products-were-still-scarce-/slidelist/61788188.cms2017-11-24T23:49:23+05:30

I went to a Brooklyn mall on Black Friday and found it empty, confirming the holiday isn't the shopping bonanza it once was

Nov 24, 2017, 23:49 IST

While a few more shoppers had shown up by around 9:00, and stores such as Payless Shoes and Verizon had opened, the crowds, especially compared to the amount of products, were still scarce.

I passed one more line on my way back. Curious to know which TV they were looking to buy, I asked and learned it was a line for the Department of Motor Vehicles, which is also located in the Atlantic Terminal Mall.

On my way back to see if the Target crowds had grown, I passed by a very empty Marshalls.

... as well as 32-inch Vizios.

Within minutes, Insigna-Roku televisions were being put onto carts ...

The shoppers did, too.

Once inside, I immediately noticed the number of TVs placed out on the floor.

As I waited, two employees came around announcing that the Toshiba 55-inch TV was already sold out from last night's store hours. Upon hearing that news, some people bailed on the line. Both of the men I was standing with were in line for a TV, a laptop, and tablet.

My next stop was Best Buy, which opened at 8 a.m. and had a line of about 100 people out front.

GameStop, which opened at 6 a.m., seemed to have a decent number of shoppers inside its already small store.

Victoria's Secret also opened at 6 a.m., but aside from the loud music, it was quiet in there as well.

The interior of the mall was somewhat desolate.

Railings were set up for line control inside, too, but two employees I spoke with confirmed that last night was about the same as far as the number of shoppers. As you can see, there weren't a ton.

The second-busiest department was the toys section.

There were other sales going on in the store, but not as many shoppers seemed to care.

... or the 65-inch Samsung.

... or the LG UHD 55-inch TV ...

... or two 32-inch Seikis ...

It was either the 32-inch Seiki ...

As I watched the shoppers, I realized almost everyone was buying a TV.

Target was having a massive sale on TVs. Additional product was placed on the first floor near the lingerie department.

Unsurprisingly, they were all headed for the electronics section.

Everyone seemed to be going upstairs, so I followed.

Not hunting for anything in particular, I followed the group.

As promised, the doors opened right at 6, and we all quickly got inside. I was the last person in a line, and with so much railing unnecessarily set up for crowd control, it made the line look even smaller.

Target had been open the night before, from 6 p.m. until midnight. This morning, it was opening at 6. About 100 people or fewer were lined up outside to get in.

The shoppers inside had already purchased items from J.C. Penney, Kmart, Gap, and Macy's.

The first store to open was Bath & Body Works. It had been open since 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving evening and will close at midnight on Friday.

I arrived at the Atlantic Terminal Mall just before 6 a.m., and it was still dark out. Stores inside this mall include Target, Victoria's Secret, Best Buy, Uniqlo, Game Stop, and Marshalls.

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