Detroiters say the chaos, and spirit, of Black Friday shopping is gone

Sunday, November 30, 2025 -Metro Detroit shoppers say the frantic, get‑in‑line‑at‑midnight, near‑stampede‑style excitement of Black Friday seems to have evaporated. 

Salespeople at major stores recalled times when lines would wrap around the building early in the morning — now, many stores opened to just a handful of customers.

Shoppers noted that today’s Black Friday feels more like a typical sale day than a once‑a‑year event. Discounts, once concentrated into a single chaotic day, are now spread over weeks or months. Some people treat it less as a bargain hunt and more as a holiday outing or a casual family shopping trip.

Retail‑foot‑traffic data supports what Detroiters are saying: many stores saw fewer physical visitors than in past years. At the same time, online shopping and extended‑sale periods have largely replaced the in‑store madness. The result: an important tradition feels quieter, calmer — and less special than the Black Fridays of old.