Retailers To Open Earlier Than Ever Before For Black Friday

By Christy Strawser
CBS Detroit Managing Editor
In the olden days of 2010 hard-core bargain shoppers had to get up at 3 a.m. on Black Friday to grab the best 4 a.m. doorbuster deals.

Get ready to start a new tradition.

Major retailers including Kohl's, Target and Macy's have announced they'll open the doors earlier than ever before -- at midnight on Thanksgiving -- for Black Friday sales. That means shoppers could conceivably take a power nap after tucking into Thanksgiving turkey and pie, then lace up comfortable shoes and hit the stores.

The upside? There's no need to set the alarm clock if you never really go to sleep.

The Target announcement says, "To provide shoppers with a jumpstart on unbeatable Black Friday deals, Target stores will open at midnight—earlier than ever—on Friday, Nov. 25.  Extended store hours, along with Target's Price Match and REDcard Rewards, will have shoppers feeling merry and bright."

So, why push the ridiculously early start to an even earlier time?

"The holidays bring hectic schedules and tight budgets, so extending store hours and offering lots of additional ways to save makes Target a great choice for affordable, one-stop holiday shopping," said Tina Schiel, executive vice president, of Target stores.

If you're ultra hard-core, you can get into the car after dinner and hit the Tanger Outlets in Howell or West Branch, Mich., which will open at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving for Black Friday sales. There's irony in there somewhere.

"We're trying to stay ahead of the curve," said Steve Schuknecht, general manager of the Tanger Outlet Center in Howell. "We'll offer a free premium $10 gift card to the first 250 people in line when we open. We do try to drive traffic that way and create a buzz."

That may be a bonanza for avid shoppers, but how about all those hard-working retailers who have to leave their families to man the registers? Schuknecht takes it in stride.

"I don't like the fact I have to come in on Thanskgiving, but when you work in retail it's the nature of the beast," Schuknecht said. "I understand the value of it. Our traffic has been tremendous."

And don't worry if you miss Black Friday: Target will also stay open until 7 or 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve, and re-open at 7 a.m. Dec. 26.