Black Friday shopping will look different this year. Here's what to expect in SoCal

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Black Friday hot spots in Southern California like Target, Best Buy and Walmart aren't open on Thanksgiving -- a seemingly new tradition that started during the pandemic and one that many shopping malls have adopted.

Before the pandemic, the Glendale Galleria opened for shoppers at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. But since 2020, they've given employees the day off.

"It's still a great tradition for us and for the industry as a whole, but I think we're doing it in a smarter way," said Steven Sayers, general manager of the Glendale Galleria.

And for many retailers, Black Friday deals have expanded throughout the week and online.

According to the National Retail Federation, an estimated 166 million people are expected to shop from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday.

But Black Friday is still supposed to be the busiest day of the weekend.

"I really appreciate going in-store, and I really don't want people to lose their businesses," said Angelina Badalian of Burbank.

So are people ready to leave their couch and get their holiday shopping done?

"People are still going to spend, they want to go out and enjoy Black Friday, enjoy the holidays, enjoy shopping with their families and having that real in-person experience," Sayers said.

Sayers says he's seeing a new shopping trend loved by millennials and Gen Z, which is to buy online and pick up their items at the store.