WILKES-BARRE TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Black Friday means big business for retailers. It's an important one for a shopping plaza making a comeback in Luzerne County.
The parking lot at the Arena Hub Plaza in Wilkes-Barre Township looks like any other big box store parking lot you would expect, but 5 months ago it was a completely different story.
An EF2 tornado ripped through here in June closing close to two dozen stores. Some of those stores didn't reopen until this week. It was just in time for Black Friday and holiday shopping. Those stores include T.J. Maxx and Dick's Sporting Goods.
Shoppers say they came here from Bloomsburg and had their Black Friday shopping experience all mapped out.
"We figure out what we're looking for and then we compare to see if we're looking for the same items and then if we are then we go there first and then from that we determine who's closing first and then go in order from who closes first to staying open all night," explained Nicole Grunden of Bloomsburg.
It was quite a chilly shopping experience for folks out there Friday morning, but some are finding some things on sale to help keep them warm
"I got 10 socks, I got a couple of coats, they're really really cute and I got a sweater," said Gigi from East Stroudsburg. "It is really really cold, my car was registering at four degrees in what is that Bear Creek."
Gigi came all the way up here to Wilkes-Barre Township from East Stroudsburg for those deals to get her shopping done before heading to work Friday morning.
