photo by: Gage Vota

Black Friday Shoppers at the Ohio Valley Mall wait in line to redeem their numbered chocolate bar at center court to receive a prize ranging from $10 to $500 in gift cards.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — After filling their stomachs on Thanksgiving, shoppers flocked to the Ohio Valley Mall to be there when it opened at 6 a.m. Friday.

Shoppers lined up throughout the night in hopes of receiving a “swag bag” that was given out to the first 200 shoppers who entered the mall.

Ohio Valley Mall Marketing Director Candi Noble-Greathouse said that the “swag bags” were filled with coupons, gift card vouchers, and a chocolate bar numbered for redemption, with prizes ranging from $10 to $500 gift cards.

She added that shoppers were required to be 18 years or older with a valid ID to receive the bags.

“Every bag will have a chocolate bar. They’re numbered, and then they come to center court to redeem them,” she said. “They have the whole month of December to do it. And the prizes range from a $10 mall store gift card, up to a $500 mall gift card.”

Noble-Greathouse added that gift cards from Buffalo Wild Wings, Longhorn Steakhouse and Osaka were also in those bags.

She added that it has become a tradition for shoppers to come early and wait for the “swag bags.” Although people line up throughout the night she said that most people come only 10 to 15 minutes before doors open.

Jamie Blinco was the first shopper in line. She said that she lined up at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving in preparation to enter the mall doors.

Blinco added that this is the second year she’s been the first in line and said that she started the new tradition because she was looking to do something different on Black Friday.

DJ Daner was also in attendance playing the holiday music to get customers in the holiday spirit. He was bumping the Christmas classics from 6 a.m. until noon.

Throughout the entire weekend mall employees will be walking around and handing out exclusive surprise gifts.

“We’ll be delivering cheer, and if you’re shopping and you look festive, or you have a lot of shopping bags, or you’re just having fun, you’ll probably get stopped, and we’ll surprise you with a gift,” Noble-Greathouse said.

In addition to the “swag bags” and surprise gifts, Noble-Greathouse said that the mall will also be giving $25 American Eagle gift cards to customers who provide same day receipts for $250 or more starting on Black Friday to customer service.

She added that the gift cards are one per household and the shoppers need to be 18 or older with a valid ID to complete the paperwork to receive the $25 gift card.

“Santa is here, with it being Black Friday, he’ll be here from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. but he’s here the whole season,” Noble-Greathouse said. “Then he’s going to lead Operation Toy Lift on Saturday, Dec. 6, and the parade starts at 9:30 a.m. which will have all of the police and emergency vehicles leading him to the Ulta entrance. And then we will be collecting toys from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. for the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley.”

Operation Toy Lift is a joint effort between the Ohio Valley Mall, the Wheeling Police Department, Belmont County Sheriff’s Office and United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley to provide unwrapped toys to children of all ages.

The donated gifts are given to children in Wetzel, Tyler, Belmont, Ohio, Brooke and Marshall counties.