RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM Shoppers made their way through crowded aisles yesterday at the Iwilei Kmart, which was open for business on Thanksgiving Day from 7 a.m.

Getting ready to shop

Residents lay down their plans for hitting stores on Black Friday

Some local residents took to the aisles on Thanksgiving Day, a day early to beat the holiday shopping rush.

Christmas trees, decorations, toys, TVs and jewelry were on some shoppers' lists at Kmart, as thousands are expected to shop during Black Friday this morning. Although some retail analysts predict a soft spending season this year, local residents said they will probably get swept up in the spirit and spend about as much or more than last year.

One mother has surveyed the shopping landscape last week in preparation, while another hopes to get rid of a procrastination holiday tradition and finish shopping by early December.

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RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM Iwilei Kmart employee Alfred Bianchi lopped off the stump of a fresh Christmas tree for a customer yesterday.

Last week, Nachelle Hepfner and her husband pulled a reconnaissance mission at the toy stores. She knows what will be on sale, what to buy and which aisle it was last seen in.

If all goes well, her Black Friday morning should go off without a hitch today.

"I'll be at Wal-Mart at midnight, head on over to Toys-R-Us at 2 a.m. and then head over to Old Navy," said the Kailua mother of three yesterday while shopping at the Nimitz Highway Kmart.

"By noon I'll have it all done."

Hepfner was one of hundreds who took an early start to holiday shopping at the Nimitz Kmart, which was open for Thanksgiving yesterday.

Some residents took advantage of sales for bedding and pillows, while others attacked their Christmas shopping list by buying high-definition TVs and toys. Kmart store manager Darcy Taisacan said he feels optimistic about retail sales this year.

"They say the online business is picking up," he said, "but I still see a lot of shoppers who want to go through the motions of going into stores physically, as you can see around me."

Rising gas prices and a slowing residential real estate market could affect consumer spending this holiday season, according to the National Retail Foundation.

Kalihi mother Sherrie Tiitii hopes to keep a tight budget this year because of rising living costs. With four daughters and a growing list, she also hopes to get shopping done early this year. She was perusing the toys area of Kmart yesterday.

"Last year I started on Black Friday, but after that I procrastinated," Tiitii said. "I did so all the way till Dec. 23. It's just a tradition, I guess, but my goal this year is to get it done beforehand."

Duke Hom learned some lessons since last year. His last-minute shopping then came at the expense of variety.

"If we get out earlier, we can have more variety," Hom said, shopping for his 6-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son.

RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM Shoppers made their way through crowded aisles yesterday at the Iwilei Kmart, which was open for business on Thanksgiving from 7 a.m. Some residents took advantage of sales for bedding and pillows, while others attacked their Christmas shopping list by buying high-definition TVs and toys.

Hepfner said she thinks she will be "very generous" in her spending because she participated in her bank's Christmas club savings program.

She recommends other parents start having a year-round savings program. She has been in the program for seven years.

"The interest isn't the best, but it's good to have some money set aside for the holidays," she said.