Black Friday shoppers swarmed Hawaii malls, many arriving before sunrise, to grab bargains on what is traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year.

At Ala Moana Center, some people spent nearly an hour circling for parking and another hour just trying to exit the mall’s perimeter roads. For many, the day was less about scoring wallet-friendly deals and more about tradition, bonding with family and friends, and kicking off the holiday gift-buying season.

For Jill Young, 56, and daughter Cadie Young, 22, the hunt for parking began around 9 a.m. They didn’t leave the mall until sunset.

Cadie Young said they had planned to head out around mid-afternoon, but after getting stuck in parking lot gridlock, they opted to stay at the mall a bit longer.

The pair spent the day wandering throu

See Full Page