Here in the U. S. , culture is not that delicious panacea which we Europeans consume in a sacramental mental space and which has its own special columns in the newspapers - and in people's minds. Culture is space, speed, cinema, technology. This culture is authentic, if anything can be said to be authentic.
Sears is offering free $10 gift cards to the first few hundred shoppers. So that may have something to do with the early crowd.