SAN ANTONIO - Black Friday sales and concerns over supply chain issues are bringing thousands of people back to brick and mortar stores to buy holiday gifts.

Some stores actually put limits on how many people they are allowing inside the store, but they allow people to check in on their phones, sort of the same way you would if you were trying to get a seat at a restaurant.

There are plenty of factors that are driving more people to shop in person this year. Supply chain issues can give some shoppers anxiety that certain items might not be in stock in time for Christmas if you’re buying online.

With high COVID vaccination rates, especially here in San Antonio, people feel more comfortable being around large groups.

Holiday sales are expected to climb at a record pace this year.

The National Retail Federation is predicting a about a 10% increase in sales.

“I used to like the thrill of being there at midnight and rushing through to try to get the best deals. But now, they’ve been having sales all week, so it’s been really calm and there’s plenty of everything to go around,” said Derrick Alvarado.

This boost in holiday shopping could be a major savior for brick and mortar stores which have struggled through the pandemic as more and more people switch to online shopping.

Which means it could also be a major benefit for the employees of those stores.

According to the National Retail Federation, an estimated 158 million people will shop from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday.