Let the shopping begin

The Glendale Galleria on Black Friday was teeming with shoppers at midnight, some from as far away as Mexico, in search of early-bird deals.

When the mall officially opened at 5 a.m., caffeinated, sleepy-eyed shoppers continued their quest to finish their holiday spending spree before the sun had even risen.

Ruth Sicat, of Burbank, took a break to rest her tired feet. Shoes off, she surrounded herself with her shopping bags on a bench in a busy walkway in the Galleria.

“I have most of my holiday shopping done, but there’s still more to do,” she said. “Just not today.”

While it was near impossible to find a spot at the Galleria parking garage, a different scene greeted shoppers at Burbank Town Center.

At 6 a.m., there was only the occassional shopper at Burbank’s main shopping center, despite the promise of goodie bags with special discounts and offers when the doors opened.