The bone-chilling temperatures in the Okanagan didn’t stop enthusiastic bargain hunters from braving the crowds for Boxing Day deals.
The annual post-Christmas tradition saw shoppers willing to wait in long lineups for the deep discounts.
“It was unexpectedly colder than Boxing Days we’ve seen in the past, but surprisingly people did come out this morning. We probably had about 40 people in the lineup this morning,” said Tom St. George, general manager of The Brick in Kelowna.
“We actually had 40 people lined up today and we also had about 15 online orders ready for us this morning,” said John Pereira, assistant manager at London Drugs.
Consumers looked for the best deals on big-ticket items like TVs and computers.
Despite the boom in online shopping, “people still like to come out — it’s still a tradition,” St. George said.
The Boxing Day blitz was on full display at the Orchard Park shopping centre in downtown Kelowna.
The mall’s parking lot was over capacity and many people had a hard time finding a vacant spot.
The increasing popularity of Black Friday is giving Boxing Day a run for its money as the busiest shopping day of the year.
“Last year, we had a slower Boxing Day than the previous years due to Black Friday because it’s coming more prevalent,” Pereira said. “This year we are actually trending to beat last year.”