Black Friday shoppers on Mag Mile pleasantly surprised by lack of long lines at stores

Scott Rivers (left) and Marece Poole carry bags from Saks Fifth Avenue on the Magnificent Mile on Black Friday. Rivers and Poole said they bought $1,000 hoodies for $500, $400 pants for $60 and a $1,000 shirt for $500. (Pat Nabong/Sun-Times)

Adrienne Brunette used two separate techniques to fortify herself in preparation for Black Friday crowds on Michigan Avenue.

“I came mentally prepared to wait in line. And I put Baileys in my coffee,” Brunette said while roaming the American Girl doll store at Water Tower Place mall with her daughter Vera, 9, who was excited to buy a new ski outfit for her doll.