(KUTV) Hundreds of shoppers are hitting the stores hoping to score Black Friday deals as early as Thursday night.

Over the last several years, stores have been opening earlier and earlier – and this year is no different.

Black Friday is undoubtedly the busiest shopping day of the year and stores like Toys’R’Us began opening at 8:00 pm Thanksgiving night. Target opened at 9:00 pm – three hours earlier than last year.

Thomas Gallegos lined up at Best Buy in South Salt Lake hoping to get good deals on electronics. Some shoppers started lining up as early as Tuesday morning – and many even skipped Thanksgiving dinner to secure their spots in line. Others even had Thanksgiving dinner delivered to them in line.

For some shoppers, like Rudy Hinojo, this is their first Black Friday experience.

“It’s cold, really cold, but it's nice get to meet a lot of new people,” said Hinojo.


For others, like Ryan, Toney, they are experienced and know what to expect.

“Right now it seems pretty serene, but closer to the door's opening people will pile up at the door and it begins to be pretty tight,” Toney said.

(Copyright 2012 Sinclair Broadcasting Group.)Shoppers And Stores Start 'Black Friday' on Thursday