MILWAUKEE — "This is my kind of Black Friday shopping, absolutely."
Since 2015, Andy Hendricks has been skipping the crowds at the mall, but he still gets up early on Black Friday — lining up in hopes of scoring some newly released craft beer.
"We started at Woodman's at 5:30 this morning for the Bourbon County. Then we went to Lakefront. I had a buddy helping me out — he was already in line. And now we're up here (Central Waters) and I think this is it for the day. But it was a good day," said Hendricks.
In a state and a city known for its beer, it's not all that surprising to see lines down the block for limited-edition brews.
"Drinking beer at six o'clock in the morning is tradition now," said Dave Parbs, with a laugh.
"Only in Wisconsin!" added his daughter, Jenny. "She's a big fan of 3rd Space and I'm a big fan of West Stallion Brewery," explained Dave as they exited Central Waters. "They don't open until noon so we have to get all these other ones ahead of time."
Katie Danielson was among those taking part in a new tradition.
"In years past, before COVID I'd probably be shopping — but I think it's so important to support the local community and give to these awesome breweries who are trying to make our communities thrive," she said.
