Retailers sought to entice them with pre-dawn openings and ads for deep discounts.

Seattle Premium Outlets near Marysville, north of Seattle, and the Factory Stores in North Bend, east of Seattle, told customers they were opening just after midnight Thursday.

At the Marysville outlet mall, people were lining up before midnight, securing their spot before stores opened, said KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reporter Rick Price.

More than 1,000 people were waiting to get into a Coach store when it opened, he said. The main parking lot filled before midnight and shoppers were using an overflow lot.

Some shoppers waited through the night outside a Best Buy store in Bellevue.

And state troopers plan to be out in force as well. Hoping to avoid traffic jams and collisions that marred the day after Thanksgiving last year in Snohomish County, the State Patrol is changing its approach there. Patrol airplanes will direct city police to any traffic problems. Trooper Keith Leary says other units plan to patrol to keep aggressive drivers and speeders in check.