Hawaii retailers are optimistic about a green Christmas as consumers snapped up bargains on the eve of the Black Friday holiday shopping kickoff.

Stores across the state are opening before dawn today and offering electronics, toys, housewares and other goods at steep discounts to lure customers to spend money in a slowing economy.

Kmart stores and some shops in the Waikele Premium Outlets were open on Thanksgiving yesterday for bargain hunters.

Waikele Kmart manager Mike Lane said more than 350 people were lined up when the store opened at 7 a.m., attracted by $399 LCD high-definition televisions, $14.99 DVD players and $19.99 bed quilts.

There were more people this year than last year, he said. But customers were spending about the same amount or slightly less money and hunting for deals.

“;They're going for the bargains,”; he said. Layaway sales are also strong, he said, with people putting money away mostly to buy toys for children.

Jennifer Stinchon stopped at Kmart yesterday to buy party supplies for her Thanksgiving dinner but also picked up 2-for-1 board games on sale for her children's Christmas.

“;We're just buying gifts for the kids,”; she said, adding that she and her husband were not going to be buying gifts for each other this year to save money. “;The kids are the most important.”;

Carolyn Dang and her husband bought a Christmas tree yesterday which was also on sale.

“;Kmart is having a good sale,”; she said. “;We went in to look at things on sale, but they were sold out.”;

Shoppers also filled the Waikele Premium Outlets. Nate Arnold, owner of the Sunglasses Plus kiosk, said he thinks he will do OK even in the current economic downturn, because his sunglasses sell for just $10.

“;This product is a very good product for people to save money,”; he said. Arnold, who also speaks Japanese, said tourists are still buying sunglasses.

As long as the weather is good, Arnold said, people will buy his product.

Dick Chaudoin was waiting on a bench for his wife and daughter to finish shopping.

“;They'll come out when their arms are full,”; he said. Chaudoin said shopping on Thanksgiving Day has become somewhat of a family tradition.

“;It's kind of a preview of what's going to happen (on Black Friday),”; he said, adding that he expects to be meeting his wife and daughter again today after another day of shopping.

Chaudoin showed off his purchases yesterday, a shirt and belt for just $15.

More deals are being offered today at stores, which are advertising $379.99 Toshiba laptops, $99.99 GPS systems and free MP3 players with the purchase of $20 of clothing.

Black Friday, so named because it was often the sales-packed day when retailers would become profitable for the year, was the biggest sales generator of the season last year. While it is not a predictor of holiday season sales, the day after Thanksgiving is an important barometer of people's willingness to spend.

Last year the Thanksgiving shopping weekend of Friday through Sunday accounted for about 10 percent of overall holiday sales, according to ShopperTrak RCT Corp.

The group has not released estimates for Black Friday sales this year, but experts believe it will remain one of the season's biggest selling days, even as shoppers remain deliberate in their spending.

Britt Beemer, chairman of America's Research Group, expects to see a surge of shoppers for the early morning deals today but predicts crowds will taper off throughout the day and into the weekend.

“;I think we are going to see the busiest Black Friday ever, but will it carry over past 10 a.m.?”; he said. “;The bottom line is a great Black Friday does not make a season.”;