Early-shopping frenzy sparks fighting at store

Friday, Nov. 27, 1998 | 11:19 a.m.

Traffic jams and honking horns kicked off the traditional frenzied start of holiday shopping this morning as shoppers by the thousands rushed the doors of area Wal-Mart discount stores to cash in on the all-day sale.

Typically open 24 hours, Wal-Marts everywhere had shut down for Thanksgiving and reopened to the masses at 6 a.m. By 8 a.m., several store locations had sold out of their entire stock of "Furbys" -- this year's hottest-selling furry critter computerized to talk. The store's all-day sale ends at 11 p.m.

A fist fight between customers outside the Wal-Mart at 3041 N. Rainbow Blvd. drew several Metro Police patrol cars about 5:30 a.m., but all was calmed by the time the black and whites arrived, police said.

With many residents in the community off for the holiday, today was expected to bring easy freeway travelling today. Routes to area shopping centers, however, like the Boulevard Mall on Maryland Parkway and the Galleria at Sunset in Henderson, were expected to be backed up.

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