Black Friday Stresses Teens Working in Retail

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Rhieley Mulder, sales associate at Kohls in Neenah

Savannah Rosenberg, Student of Journalism

Black Friday is without a doubt a stressful holiday for employees and customers alike; this is especially true for teens working in retail.

Rhieley Mulder, both shopper and worker, is familiar with the highs and lows of the bustling holiday. She currently works as a sales associate at Kohls in Neenah along with Clare Towne. “The customers flood in and the lines get really long. It can definitely get stressful,” Towne said.  

Business Insider ranks in the top spots of large business websites. It was created in 2007 by Wall Street analyst Henry Blodget, who was a man of high status because of his exceptional works. Business Insider gives insight to teen involvement during Black Friday, claiming that adults cannot stay awake to engage in the Friday festivities. This easily explains why adults are losing interest in the Friday frenzy, and why teens like Mulder are being scheduled to work. 

“I am looking forward to working Black Friday because I get paid a lot, and they have Thanksgiving food in the breakroom,” Mulder said.

She demonstrates optimism about the strife-filled holiday as her first shift draws near. “I enjoy shopping on Black Friday because I like good deals and I enjoy shopping in general,” Mulder said.

This attitude is growing among teens as they take over the Friday industry.

Clare Towne has worked Black Friday several times. “It usually isn’t busy all day because most of the shoppers who come in are older,” Towne said. She feels she is lucky to work in retail at a store that mostly entails older shoppers, instead of a teen-driven location like the mall. The holidays are like an airport, with people constantly coming and going. 

Mulder and Towne both agree that Black Friday would be more manageable for the younger generations if older consumers built up the stamina to survive Black Friday.