Shoppers Get an Early Start

Kevin Mohamed, computer department supervisor at the Best Buy in Wheaton, directs shoppers who showed up early. The store opened at 5 a.m. (By Bill O'leary -- The Washington Post)

Washington area retailers and mall managers attempted to lure shoppers yesterday with $25 DVD players at Target, a "naturally bearded" Santa at the Mall at Prince Georges, and two-story stuffed giraffes at Fair Oaks Mall.

It looked like shoppers took the bait.

"We could clearly see that there was an increase in traffic today," said Debbie Young, marketing manager for Westfield Shoppingtown Wheaton. "This is one of the best Black Fridays we have ever seen."

Although weekend sales figures won't be calculated until Monday, Young and other mall managers said signs so far indicated a brisk holiday selling season.

After making the rounds of retailers at two malls, Westfield Shoppingtown Montgomery and Annapolis, marketing manager Scott Degraffenreid said foot traffic was especially strong from 7 to 9 a.m.

"The weather helped," he said. "It was a gorgeous day to get out of the house."

Here's how some shoppers fared around the region.

Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax

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At 8 a.m., the mall bustled with shoppers holding coffee cups in one hand and cellphones in the other, coordinating meeting points and buying strategies.

Tom Banks and his 17-year-old daughter, Courtney, have made it a tradition for the last 10 years to drive from their home in Culpeper to the Fairfax mall on Black Friday.

"I'm going to walk around with Courtney for the first hour just to get warmed up and then we're going to separate so I can look for myself and she can get serious about her shopping," said Banks, 52.

On top of his list: a pullover or dress shirt from Banana Republic for his 24-year-old son, who is stationed in Iraq. "I was kind of dreading the crowds today because gas prices are low and I thought it would be crazy here. But this really isn't too bad," he said. "Pretty civilized."