The name's Friday. Black Friday.

The Columbia Mall was a bustle of activity today, as shoppers convened in search of big bargains. Long lines stretched through Target, herded by fast-moving employees.

Jaime Clark, a Target employee, began her shift at 2 a.m. Friday. At 9:30 a.m., she was still going strong.

"In comparison to last year, it hasn't been busy at all," Clark said. "It's starting to get a little more crowded, but I think the rain scared away most people."

The smaller crowds might have been a relief for Clark. Her shift ended at 4 p.m.

RBHS junior Sarah Bai did some casual shopping Friday morning with a friend. She first hit up Target, where she bought a glut of $3 candles, and then strolled around clothing store H&M.

"I told myself that I had to get these good deals, and although it required me to wake up early, this is a once a year thing so I'm here," Bai said. "I would say I got some pretty good deals. It does seem like every year the deals get slightly worse, but that's probably just because of the economy."

PacSun employee Morgan Davis stood outside of the store, asking passers-by if they knew about Black Friday specials. By noon, the Hickman High School senior had been working for nearly 5 hours, having started her shift at around 7:00 p.m.

"I get off at two [p.m.]. It's not bad, not bad at all," Davis said. "[Business] was kind of slow in the morning, but now it's really picking up."

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