BRAD HORN/Nevada Appeal John Bolin gets ready to shut the limousine's trunk after Michelle Krick, from left, Misty Jordan, and Pam McGrath finished shopping at Target on Friday morning. The three Carson City women began their shopping day at 3:45 a.m. at Wal-Mart.
While thousands of holiday shoppers maneuvered through parking lots and hoofed it across asphalt expanses to escape the chill fall air, three Carson City women reclined in the black leather interior of a Lincoln Continental limousine, puffing on Marlboro 100s.
From there they stepped into consumer chaos.
Michelle Krick, one of the trio of friends, called the limo "a large suitcase" just perfect for all their holiday purchases.
Black Friday shoppers gaped at the long, black limousine in front of Gottschalks, commenting "that's the way to travel." If stalled in traffic, they can turn on the TV. There's a bar for toasting spectacular buys.
The women pulled up in front of Wal-Mart, Target, Mervyns, Ross and Payless ShoeSource, places where you don't often see limousine service. The excursion started at 4 a.m. at Wal-Mart and as the morning went on the trunk was filled with CDs, jewelry, shoes and a portable DVD player.
Misty Jordan, manager at the Rand Ave. Motel, borrowed the limo and the services of driver John Bolin from her boss, Mike Millard. As a thank you to her boss, Jordan bought him a Gray Goose Vodka set.
While at Mervyns, Krick purchased a pair of $20 open-toed heels.
"I figured since we were driving in a limo, I could wear heels and jeans," she said while on the way to breakfast at the International House of Pancakes.
The skater shoes she had been wearing were nestled in the shoe box.
This was the first Black Friday shopping experiences for both Pam McGrath, a housekeeper at the Rand, and Krick.
Across the country Friday, millions of Americans rose early for the start of the annual holiday shopping season that has become a family tradition to some.
This consumerist campaign usually only includes a wallet, ad circulars and sometimes a list.
For the trio of friends, they hope to make the front-door service a yearly tradition.
In keeping with the holiday spirit they'll tip the driver "really big."
• Contact reporter Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.