Black Friday brings out Winnipeg's ambitious shoppers

Hard core shoppers in Winnipegwere out far before the sun, seeking Black Fridaybargains.

People were linedup at Polo Parkshopping centre and the nearby Target store, as well as other malls in the city, which opened early to accommodate them.

Target, which opened the large stand-alone store last month on St. James Street, welcomed shoppers at 6 a.m.

Polo Park opened its doors at 6 a.m. to let people into the mall but the stores didn't open until 7 a.m.

Cousins Erica Marquez and Quinn Tran were up at 5 a.m. to get to Polo Park.

"We were coming for all the events and everything, the good deals. We were hoping to get in here for the first 100 but apparently already 100 people were here, so it was surprising," they said, speaking at the same time, finishing each other's sentences.

Nautia Elakdrove in from Portage la Praire Thursday night and waited in the Target parking lot. She said it was well worth it.

"We wanted to get all the TVs [and]we got five," she said, adding the sleepout "was really cold."

Elak saidthe five 40-inch screens, which were each $140, will be given as gifts.

This is the third year that Winnipeg retailers have taken part in Black Friday, which has for years markedthe traditional start to theholiday shopping season in the United States.

The big sales dayhelps push businesses into the "black", meaning they begin making their profits for the year.

Some Winnipegretailers told CBC News last year that they made as much revenue on Black Friday as they do in a normal week of shopping closer to Christmas.

The sale day is much more intense in the U.S., where hundreds of people often push aggressively to get into stores as soon as the doors open.In the past, people have been trampled and fights have broken out.