Group of friends goes to extremes to be first in line for Black Friday deals at Best Buy

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (WXYZ) - A group of friends is going to extremes to make sure they are the very first in line to take advantage of Black Friday deals at one local store.

The group has pitched a tent outside of the Best Buy in Allen Park and has basically been living there since November 9 ^th.

“Oh, we have someone here all day every day,” said Ali.  His friends call him "Smiley".  He is happy to be out in line to barbeque instead of having dinner with the parents on Thanksgiving to score big Black Friday deals.

“Eh, they see me every day so one day is not going to hurt them,” said Smiley.

The 21-year-old’s must haves are a laptop advertised for under $200 dollars, a TV and video games.

“I’m looking for a 3D TV and probably a laptop and a couple of PS3 games,” he said.

To pass the time they play football and perfect their shopping strategy.

“Each one’s going to have a list. Let’s say i’m going to have a list of laptops. He’s going to have a list of TV’s,” he said.

When the doors open Thursday at Midnight, they run to their aisles.

“Run to wherever we are responsible for getting and hopefully we can get all we want and then just meet up in middle and split it all up,” said Smiley.

They have eight in their group. Some have started to find the car more comfortable than the tent when other shoppers get curious.

“They wake us up every morning and they’re like, are you guys really in there? And we’re like, yeah, we are,” he said.

They are cooks at local restaurants but their bosses let them collect their paychecks outside the kitchen in exchange for big ticket items.

“They pay us to do it,” he said.

Smiley and his friends have held the title of first in line here, now for the past three years and they are sure next year will be number four.

“Nobody is as crazy enough to come sit in line for a whole week in the cold,” said Smiley.