For most of us, this upcoming time of the year is the most Wonderful Time Of The Year (no pun intended). For me I ran stores for over 30+ years. September - December was the 4th quarter and I was the quarterback and we would always score and win. Most years the holidays were spent at the store while the kids and wife would do most of the shopping and I would be working. It was not till mid 2000's that I really got a break from it and started my own businesses and had normal holiday celebrations. Notice I don't say Thanksgiving or Christmas because in retail we had to be wary about what everyone celebrated. Especially employees. For those of you that do not know in the 80's cabbage patch dolls were the rage and saw people push people to the ground or fight someone to get the last doll. Since my store was right next to Los Angeles International Airport I would get stars or sports figures who would call or come to the store to see if I could get them a doll or iPod. it was crazy! I can honestly tell you I don't miss the black Friday sales or the after Holiday's sales I have seen it all. What I can say is it is fun for me to watch people and see the smiles on the kids. Families laughing and having a good time. I can also take pleasure in walking into a store and seeing that some other poor fool is in his/her fourth quarter and they are trying to score. That puts a smile on my face.
Never gotten into it but I remember the Cabbage Patch dolls craze when I was a child :-)
ReplyDeleteYou were the quarterback and always scored and won while some other fool were still trying to score, excellent!
Hearing "...watching people and seeing the smiles on the kids put a smile on your face", puts a smile on my face ^_^
I am always aware of the pricing with Black Friday "sales" such as what was the price before the sale and is it really a discount if the price was raised then the original price is the "discount"
ReplyDeleteKevin you are so right. Every now and then you get that big purchase made overseas to sell an electronic item at a ridiculous price. These days you don't have to fight the crowds with Amazon, E bay etc.... they have it all.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your article. Although I didn't grow up in the United States, I know much about the past from your writing.
ReplyDeleteOh those Cabbage Patch dolls! My little sister had a couple when we were growing up. I never liked those fat head babies. I preferred Barbies. Hahaha
ReplyDeleteI remember working in retail at Ala Moana Mall in Hawaii, and it was crazy during Black Friday. Japanese tourists spending thousands on omiyage to take home to Japan. Local residents looking for a good deal. So many people were in the store. I definitely wouldn't be able to handle that rush now.
Barbies are still the number one sellers. Crazy to think after all these years she is still going strong.
DeleteWhat a throwback! First the Cabbage Patch dolls, then the Beanie Babies. Tickle Me Elmo was another huge one. Any one remember Furby? I remember getting into an altercation with a woman over a Furby I had in my hand for my daughter and she tried to snatch it. That was an unpleasant situation for the holidays. I'm kind of glad I don't have to go through that anymore. I do miss the excitement on my kids' faces when they opened Santa presents. Amazement and joy!
ReplyDeleteTickling Elmo forgot about him and the Furby.
DeleteBlack Friday is not what it used to be. My wife and I always had a tradition of going for a walk around the mall during Black Friday because there was some sense of joy in the atmosphere but now it's not the same. People were a lot jollier back then but now it’s a lot different. Now we prefer buying everything online.
ReplyDeleteTimes have definitely changed.
DeleteIs this a new background? It looks nice. As for the black Friday sales I tend to wait for cyber Monday.
ReplyDeleteThat is too funny. "seeing that some other poor fool is in his/her fourth quarter and they are trying to score" Black Friday is such a mess I am still considering whether to participate this year or not. LOL
ReplyDeleteI can see why you don't miss the craziness of Black Friday. It sounds like it was pretty chaotic.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, I was the actual cabbage patch kid!! Just kidding, but truthfully I did have one growing up. It was many moons ago, so I don't remember playing with it. I have not worked in a retail setting in a long time, so my experience with Black Friday is not the same as everyone else. Usually retail shopping is not my priority, that's why Black Friday will not be on my radar this year.
ReplyDeleteI don't like to go Black Friday shopping. Seeing how people rushed the stores and stores would open on Thanksgiving day so our family time was cut short.
ReplyDeleteI love reading every one of your posts each week because it's as if you're sticking me in a time machine to go down memory lane. It's so cool how you had a store near the airport in LA. I've never been to anywhere in LA besides McDonald's when picking up my grandparents from the Philippines, but I've always had an interest in the environment.
ReplyDeleteThose patch dolls sound quite unusual for people to attempt and buy, even though I've never heard of them. I can't even begin to comprehend how difficult Black Friday must have been for you.
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