The parking lot of the Giant Eagle on Interchange Road was full of a steady stream of last minute shoppers Thanksgiving afternoon - rushing to get last minute, forgotten ingredients for Thanksgiving dinner before grocery stores close. 

"Just coming out to do some last minute Thanksgiving shopping," Gerald Blanks, a shopper grabbing some last minute ingredients. "I thought I gotten it all yesterday, obviously we forget a few items and [I had] to come back. The good news is there's not a lot of people in the store so that was a pretty quick stop."

Blanks says he's glad to see places like Giant Eagle - which closed at 3 p.m. - open for shoppers like him, but feels sympathy for those working on the holiday. 

"Well it's fortunate for people like me, but unfortunate for people that have to work on Thanksgiving. You like people to have that day off, but understanding that business is business, you're going to have a little bit of office hours. We're sorry for those guys but again it's beneficial to the end consumer."

And it's a similar story for Dee Findlay, a fellow last minute shopper, who also came for some forgotten ingredients for her dish.

"[I was] making a recipe and there was an ingredient that I didn't have and so I came up here, rushed up here so I could get it, so I could finish what I was making," said Findlay. "And then I wanted to make some soup, so I bought some short ribs and I bought some chicken and some half and half."

"I'm glad to see that they're closing at 3, because it gives their employees time to go home and be with their families," added Findlay.

And for John Maynard and his family, who traveled from Vermont to visit family in Erie, they're glad at least one store is open for emergency purchases.

"Well we got here late last night, we're staying at Splash Lagoon, and we forgot our toothbrushes, so we need toothbrushes [and] toothpaste for the kids," said Maynard. "Went to Walmart, they were closed. We were shocked."

Others are thankful to see their family this year.

"I don't have any friends so I'm excited to actually play with kids that isn't her and him," said Quint, the oldest of Maynard's three kids, pointing towards his younger sister and brother.