Tulsa's Black Friday Ads Released Early For 'Gray Thursday'

Black Friday has always been known as a bargain shoppers' paradise, but ‘Gray Thursday' is starting to give it some competition.

Wednesday, people were already camping out to be the first in line for Thursday night's deals.

11/26/2014 Related Story: Tulsa Black Friday Shoppers Already Camping Out

It's not just the shoppers that are in for a late night; the folks at the Tulsa World are also up, because, what's Black Friday without the ads?

With all machines firing, the Tulsa World is rolling out 120,000 papers.

"Thanksgiving is always our busiest day," said Operations Director, Bob Gutridge.

The Thanksgiving edition always sells out, and it's thanks to the 57 ad inserts that fill the paper; making it weigh up to five pounds.

This year, the Black Friday ads are coming out earlier than ever; the World released the Thanksgiving Day paper at 2:00 Wednesday afternoon.

Circulation Director Mark Appleby said stores are opening earlier, and newspapers are adjusting.

"It's a day earlier now it seems like. Now they're sitting down Wednesday night, figuring out what they're going to do Thursday night when the stores open," Appleby said.

The World even invited people to pull up to the curb to “get ‘em while they're hot.”

"I work downtown so it was easy for me just to come on down and pick up a couple papers for me and my sister and my mom," said Black Friday shopper, Chrissy Hood.

The Thanksgiving papers cost $2 more than a normal daily paper.

These papers get the special treatment, examined with an eagle eye, and stuffed in a holiday sack that also doubles as an ad.

Inside, there are more ads than we can name; everything from local stores, like Hahn Appliance Warehouse and Moody's Jewelry, to Target and Kohl's.

"Get down here and get you a paper before we run out," Appleby said.

If you subscribe to the Tulsa World, you'll get your paper at 6 a.m. You can also pick up a paper at QuikTrip, Walgreen's, Walmart, Reasor's, and several other local stores.