HispanicBusiness

"We shop together all the time," said Davis. "It's always fun to do things with company. It's always fun to spend your money in the presence of others."

By Patricia Montemurri, Free Press staff writer

Bargains lure out-of-towners

8:45 a.m. -- The rack of glittery and poufy jewel-toned girls' party dresses at the Oakland Mall Macy's were what caught Sara Duris's eye.

The 47-year-old mother of two noticed the rich fuchsias and turquoises, mixed among blacks and whites, and noticed the 50% off sign. Not bad for dresses that ranged from $58-$78. She thought one of them could be the perfect outfit for her 8-year-old daughter Clair -- a girly-girl -- to wear to church on Christmas.

"We didn't come out for anything" in particular, the senior-center program coordinator said. "Part of it is we live in St. Joseph. We're visiting family, so we wanted to shop in the bigger stores."

She and husband Chris, 46, a market researcher, started their day around 5 a.m. and so far had bought Legos, a DSi, Wii games, jeans and pajamas. Among their favorite deals was a DVD of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" they got at Target for $9.95, 50% off.

"The flyers are in the car; they're memorized," Chris Duris joked.

The couple said they come out with shopping lists blazing every Black Friday, though this year, they've been focusing on picking up bargain goodies for other people.

"We haven't made up our lists" yet, Chris Duris said, as he held a Macy's bag containing a gift for his mother -- a robe and nightgown.

-- By Zlati Meyer, Free Press staff writer

Two lists to shop by

8:10 a.m. -- One shopping list isn't enough for Christine Spurbeck, an advertising executive from Ferndale. Her Black Friday strategy requires two.

On one notebook-sized piece of paper, she listed the eight stores she wanted to visit, and their opening times. The list: J.C. Penney, Macy's, Target, Walmart, Sports Authority, Art Van, Kohl's and Parisian. In another pocket, she kept a notebook, with each store listed again by the items she wanted to purchase at each retailer -- so discerned by poring through the Thanksgiving newspaper ad inserts.

Her first stop at 4 a.m. today was J.C. Penney at Fairlane Town Center, where she snagged a Polar Express train set for her 4-year-old son for $88, down from $150. By 4:45 a.m, she was at Macy's, where a girl's pink winter coat caught her eye, not for anybody she knows, but for the stranger she imagines will be helped when she donates the coat to the Giving Tree Christmas project at her parish, St. James Catholic Church in Ferndale.

"I like to buy something nice for that, because I imagine a family that's struggling will like to get something from Macy's," said Spurbeck.

By 7:30 a.m., she had also hit Target, Walmart, Sports Authority and Art Van, where a portable fireplace became hers for $388. She fueled herself with handfuls of Honey Chex cereal, purchased at Target, along with video games and toys for her youngest son. Then she headed home to Ferndale to unload the first load of goodies, her wallet about $800 lighter.

"I will shop until I drop," declared Spurbeck. She was headed to Sterling Heights to meet her sister for shopping at Kohl's and Parisian. To this point, said Spurlock, she was focused on the list.