Black Friday Shoppers Turn Out At Westfarms

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC and AP) - Black Friday once again kicks off the start of the holiday shopping season. But with six fewer days, it will be the shortest season since 2013 because Thanksgiving fell on the fourth Thursday in November - the latest possible date.That means customers will have less time to shop and retailers will have less time to woo them.At Westfarms Mall, a handful of shoppers turned out before dawn looking for deals. Some stores were open overnight while others stayed open until 2 a.m. and then reopened again at 7 a.m. Mall officials say winter apparel, electronics and toys are among the most popular items this year.A line of around 75 people formed as the Lego store opened at the mall Friday morning.The National Retail Federation baked the shorter season into its forecast, but it says the real drivers will be the job market. It forecasts that holiday sales will rise between 3.8% and 4.2%, an increase from the disappointing 2.1% growth seen in the November and December 2018 period.