Black Friday Shopping Then North Pole

Z and I went Christmas shopping on Black Friday. We went to Herbergers on University Avenue in St Paul as our first stop. They have pretty decent Black Friday specials and they tend to keep their Door Busters items in stock. While we were at Herbergers we heard a young preteen say, "Mommy, Mommy"-- We immediately thought of Family Guy and this scene:


After we finished there, we ate an early lunch at Leeann Chins nearby. Since this is the second year we've done this, I guess going to Herbergers and eating at Leeann Chins is starting to become a Black Friday tradition. (Shhh, don't tell our friend Keith H. who manages the A.V. Leann Chins store that we bought gift cards with extra free money from there!)

By the time we got done eating we figured we had enough time to get to Kohls Department store before their Door Buster Specials ended at 1:00 pm. We drove up to the Kohls in Roseville. As usual there was a check out line that went through the store around the outer aisle. By the time we got in line it was about 12:15. We had heard while we were in line that they would allow most of the people in line to take advantage of the Door  Buster Specials even if they were in line after 1:00 pm. We did the tag team shopping where Z stayed in line first while I wondered around the store and did a little shopping. Then I let Z have her turn to shop while I held the place in line. Once we checked out and left the store we attempted to drive over to the Guitar Center but we just couldn't get in there.

We then drove down Snelling Avenue and then headed east on Grand Avenue. We then made our way toward Robert Street and decided to shop for some toys at Kmart in West St Paul and then after that we would cross the river and pick up a gift certificate at a small cafe in New Port Minnesota, called appropriately "The North Pole". We finished our shopping at Kmart and proceeded to the check out. The cashier handled everything correctly and even gave us a bonus gift cart. which was very cool. Another stop gained our fancy, The Dollar General Store.  Z had to get the Almond Windmill Cookies for a buck a pack. (Really, they are quite good with coffee!) and so we filled our dollar store basket! As I was loading the last plastic bag from the register back into our cart I said to Z, "Now off to the North Pole!" I heard the young cashier chuckle. Like I was making a Christmas joke. I then turned to the cashier and said, "No. Really. We are going to the North Pole. The North Pole Restaurant in Newport to pick up a gift card."

And how was your Black Friday shopping experience? Do share...