Shoppers searching out the best bargains flocked to Honolulu stores yesterday, taking advantage of door-buster deals and early shopping hours offered by retailers hoping to overcome recessionary reluctance on the first major shopping day of the holiday season.

At the Toys R Us store in 'Aiea, the line of shoppers began forming about 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving. By midnight, when the doors opened, more than 1,000 shoppers were waiting in a line that snaked around the parking lot and onto the sidewalk.

Friends Carrie Blake and Jody La Rocque arrived about midnight and didn't get inside the store until two hours later. At 5 a.m., they were done. Pushing a loaded shopping cart to their car, parked on the second level at the 'Aiea shopping center, they were in high spirits.

"We're just now done," said Blake, a Wahiawä resident. "It was worth the long lines. We got some good deals and we got time with each other and no kids."

Some stores opened before dawn. Others, such as Sports Authority, were open on Thanksgiving Day.

At 9 a.m. yesterday, the line at the newly opened Victoria's Secret at Ala Moana Center stretched out the door and all the way down to Sears. Many stores held sales and giveaways, and malls offered entertainment and events, all aimed at luring in recession-weary shoppers on so-called Black Friday.

Windward Mall gave free holiday coupon bags to the first 500 shoppers.

The National Retail Federation has predicted that nationally, this year's holiday sales will see a 1 percent decline from last year. Merchants did what they could yesterday to combat that expectation and avoid another season of off sales.

"Retailers came out swinging for Black Friday, offering some of the holiday season's lowest prices on electronics, appliances, apparel and toys," Tracy Mullin, the National Retail Federation's president, said in a news release. "Budget-focused shoppers seemed to be pleasantly surprised with post-Thanksgiving deals, which many retailers will extend into Saturday and even Sunday."

PRE-DAWN SPENDING

Even after a seven-hour flight from Guam and a night without sleep, Tricia Kioshi was happy with her Black Friday catch. Just one shopping bag made it all worthwhile, Kioshi said.

This is her third year of flying to O'ahu from Guam for Black Friday shopping. She started at 11:30 p.m. Thanksgiving night at Toys R Us, hit Sears at 4 a.m. and then was off to Walmart.

"People went out on Black Friday because the retailers promised them some good deals," said Stephany Sofos, a local retail analyst . "When money is tight you go for the bargains. People will spend money for the house or buy more things like games and puzzles."

At the Best Buy store on Kamehameha Highway in 'Aiea, consumers were snapping up laptops and DVDs.

"We probably had the same number of customers this year as last," said Kelson Juan, a store manager. "The traffic in the store increased this year, but that's because of the unfortunate closing of Circuit City. But I think they're spending about the same amount."

GRABBING DEALS

Tonja Dreke pulled out her index cards of prices and stores yesterday morning outside Sears at Pearlridge Center. She was among a throng of people crowding into the department store in search of early morning bargains. She consulted her list after leaving the store and headed off to her next store.

Like a player before the big game, Dreke knew what she wanted and where she wanted to buy it. She had spent a better part of a month searching online and in newspaper ads for the best price.

"I think I will spend more this year," said Dreke, of Wahiawä. "Everything I bought today was 50 percent off. I saved $160. All it cost me was my time. It was worth it.

"I'm already done with my shopping."

Black Friday was a much different — and less positive — experience for Alohalani Pangelinan of Hale'iwa.

Pushing a shopping cart full of toys, Pangelinan said she spent three hours at Toys R Us. That was after she paid $5 for parking at Waikele and wound up not buying anything because of imposing crowds at check-out.

"This is my first Black Friday ever," Pangelinan said. "It was nothing but long lines."