We were tasked with finding a popular (and RARE) interactive toy for our 4 grandchildren this Christmas. Several area stores were actively limiting quantities of Fingerlings for months! Empty shelves greeted us at every store we combed. The toys were scarce and starting bids online were 6 times higher than retail.
Gamestop advertised Fingerlings in their Black Friday sale (which started Thanksgiving evening at 4 PM).
We have NEVER shopped on Thanksgiving, (too full; too tired; too many dishes to wash) but we shopped this year.
I set out for the Gamestop at Chapel Hill in Akron while hubby and son set out for the Gamestop in Brimfield. I arrived at 3:20 PM and joined a crowd of nearly 20 people outside of the Chapel Hill store.
We stood around talking like old friends! It was cold and the wind streaming under the overhang of the plaza made it even colder. We huddled together and shared our "shopping wish lists" with each other. From time to time someone would give us a time check - "8 more minutes!"
A couple women, who were hoping ro get a great deal on a gaming chair, started singing Beach Boys' songs in order to keep warm. Another group of men mocked a friend who had stayed in the car to keep warm... they wouldn't let him have "cuts" and sent him to the back of the line. We all laughed!
Although Gamestop claims to have never opened on Thanksgiving they killed it! The manager came out and origanized a single-file line. She gave us directions through the store. She announced the limits on Fingerlings - 1 per customer.
The party continued inside!! SO MUCH FUN! It took me 45 minutes to negotiate the check-out line once I grabbed my purple-colored Fingerling but the time was well worth it!
I found camaraderie with several people who were unfamiliar with any sort of gaming (they were easy to spot with their highlighted Black Friday ads and frantic phone calls to family members). I was enchanted with the Pokemon booty in-store and how it varied from Pokemon Go on my phone. We roared when PS4 game controllers were tossed from customer-to-customer up the choked aisles of the store.
In the end I nabbed my purple Fingerling! We are going to make one little girl very happy on Christmas morning.
Gamestop rocks!!!! read more