Skip to content

Get Your Camera Ready for Empty #BlackFridayParking Lots

If you’re out shopping on Black Friday, keep your cell phone camera close at hand. Strong Towns is continuing its annual tradition of #BlackFridayParking — capturing photos of half-empty parking lots on America’s high holy day for retail.

The exercise illustrates how ridiculous and wasteful our parking policies are. Many communities require retailers to construct and maintain parking lots large enough to house every shopper on the busiest shopping day of the year. And then even on a day like Black Friday (technically the second-busiest day of the year), many spaces remain unfilled.

Imagine if this space could be repurposed for something more productive.

Photo of Angie Schmitt
Angie is a Cleveland-based writer with a background in planning and newspaper reporting. She has been writing about cities for Streetsblog for six years.

Read More:

More from Streetsblog USA

Friday Video: The Three Ingredients to a Great Trick-or-Treating Neighborhood

October 30, 2026

Friday’s Headlines (Except Spooky)

October 30, 2026

Five Simple Hacks to Avoid L.A. City Speed Camera Tickets

October 29, 2026

Talking Headways Podcast: Architecture Won’t Save a Bad Street

October 29, 2026

Thursday’s Headlines Live in an Endless Summer

October 29, 2026
See all posts