MUNCY TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is known as the busiest shopping day of the year but what happens at a mall when all of the anchor stores are closed?
Shoppers walked through the Lycoming Mall near Muncy, shopping bags in hand, just like any other Black Friday. But it was hard not to notice this Black Friday was different.
"There's almost nothing here anymore so it's very limited. I think the people, there's far less people nowadays. It's really kind of sad," said Shannon Nappi of Williamsport.
In the last two years, all four of the mall's anchor stores closed. That changed the dynamic of Black Friday for a lot of people.
"I'm missing all those stores," Joann Sabotchick said.
Debra Campbell manages Gertrude Hawk.
"It's really a big change. But we still try. I wish people would come shop more, even though the box stores are gone, there are a lot of little stores people could shop at," said Campbell.
Some stores were still pretty busy on this Black Friday.
"It is just as booming as it's been every other year," said Jessica Lukowsky who manages Maurice's. She doesn't think losing the anchor stores has made a difference on Black Friday, at least at her store.
"No, I don't, honestly. Our mall customers are still our mall customers and they're obviously out here and I've got a huge line."
Store owners tells us holiday shopping events like Small Business Saturday And cyber Monday also compete with business at the Lycoming Mall.