More early shoppers are beginning to line up at Best Buy before it opens early Friday morning to cement their chances of getting first dibs on doorbuster deals.
Allecia Dicks, 25, of Clinton Township has been in line since 8 p.m. Wednesday with three friends, some of which arrived even earlier at the Best Buy, located at 3100 Lohr Road. Altogether, about eight people were in line around 11 a.m. on Thanksgiving.
"We did this last year," Dicks said. "It was a lot of fun. Last year my parents paid me to be in line, but this year I'm doing it on my own.
Dicks is waiting in line because she's eager to get her hands on a 40-inch Toshiba television for $179.
"Last year, we had a crazy crowd," Dicks said. "We were at the front and had about 20 people show up. It's a lot of fun, but this year is a little more calm and peaceful."
Dicks and her friends, Billy Doyle and Donnie Phillips, aren't worried about the cold front expected to come through Thursday night because she has a portable heater inside of her tent.
"It actually got really hot in here last night," she said.
Aside from the portable heater, Dicks set up a tent last night, equipped with a laptop and a flat screen television, powered by an extension cord hooked up to a truck.
Dicks said she was also using the extension cord to keep her phone charged up.
What's different this year?
Kit, a student at Washtenaw Community College, warms up with a hot drink as he waits outside Best Buy Thanksgiving morning. Kit and his friend camped out at Best Buy the night before Thanksgiving, getting there around 10:30 p.m.
Courtney Sacco I AnnArbor.com
Dicks said Best Buy supplied the early shoppers with free subs and a Porta Potty.
Ann Arbor resident Jackie Berg and her sons, Jesse Morris and T'ontaye Jones, both 15-year-old Huron High School students, were the first people in line at Best Buy. Berg got there at about 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Berg said the overnight stay wasn't too bad because of the mild weather. She also said for those who have yet to make their way out, they better get started soon. Berg, who also has a tent, said the police informed the early shoppers that they'll have to put up all tents by 9 p.m. in order to form a single file line.
"Get here early and come prepared," she said. "Have warm clothes."
Zijun Ning, who moved to the United States two years ago from China, was in line by himself also waiting for the 40-inch Toshiba television. Ning arrived at the store at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Ning brought some snacks, water and chocolate and said he's prepared for the long wait.
"I missed it last year and I wanted to get here early," he said.
Best Buy is a popular Black Friday destination. Last year, about a dozen tents were erected at the store by 9 a.m. on Thursday. Hundreds of people were in line by the time the store opened at 12 a.m. Friday.
Best Buy is located in the same shopping center as Kohl's, Big Lots and Dick's Sporting Goods.
Katrease Stafford covers Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com.Reach her at katreasestafford@annarbor.com or 734-623-2548 and follow her on twitter.