Shoppers seek holiday bargains on Black Friday

GILFORD — Holiday shoppers were out looking for Black Friday bargains around the Lakes Region yesterday, even though many of them, like Susan St. Pierre of Laconia, who shopped at Wal-Mart in Gilford, have already done a lot of their shopping online.

St. Pierre said she was looking for gifts for her 16-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter, and for the special Black Friday items which can only be bought in stores.

''I've already done most of my shopping online,'' said St. Pierre, who works at Fluett Engineering in Laconia.

Also looking for bargains at Wal-Mart was Nicole Doherty of Laconia, who was looking for computers and iPads for her kids. She said she had also gone shopping late Thanksgiving afternoon at the Steeplegate Mall in Concord after having had a turkey dinner.

At Tanger Outlets in Tilton, Amanda Avery of Center Harbor was shopping along with her mother. Crystal, and sister, Jessica, for Christmas presents with a lot of the shopping focused on her month-old daughter, Vera.

''We found some cute clothes for her,'' said Amanda, who was also looking for gifts for her boyfriend.

Also shopping at the Tilton mall was Joan Fedan of Moultonborough, who was there with several people, includinhg her son, Joe, and Chanel Brown of Massachusetts.

Fedan said shopping at the mall is a family tradition on Back Friday after a celebration of the holiday held at her home on Moultonborough Neck on Thanksgiving Day.

That same tradition holds true for Rich and Carol Walter of Quincy, Massachusetts, who were shopping along with Cynthia Demos of Watertown Massachusetts, Melissa Walter of Quincy and her boyfriend, George Demos of Watertown.

Rich Walter said the group had spent the holiday at the Mills Falls in Meredith and enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal at Hart's Turkey Farm in Meredith.

''We come here to get away from our relatives,'' joked Melissa Walter, who said the holiday shopping at the mall was a family tradition.

In downtown Laconia, Reggie and Sherryl Caldwell of Belmont were doing their shopping with locally owned businesses, and chose All My Life Jewelers on Main Street as one of their destinations. Local businesses promoted the day as Plaid Friday, encouraging shoppers to buy local.