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Retailers have got deals to get you up and out and into stores

By Jen Aronoff

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Published: November 26, 2009

CHARLOTTE - How do you entice wary shoppers in a recession? By barraging them with bargains and opening stores earlier than ever -- at least, if retailers' plans for the traditional start of the holiday shopping season are any indication.

Though plenty of merchants start decorating and advertising for Christmas even before Halloween, the annual race to Dec. 25 kicks off in earnest Friday, when a quarter of U.S. households are expected to head to stores, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Malls across the region will be open extended hours, with most offering promotions such as gift bags, free gift cards, refreshments and giveaways.

Black Friday, so named because of its ability to lift retailers' bottom lines into the black, is often -- but not always -- the busiest shopping day of the year, with deals on electronics particularly popular.

Especially in recent years, it's also become the longest shopping day of the year, so much that the rush to win scarce dollars is now spilling into Thanksgiving Day.

The majority of respondents in a recent Consumer Reports poll -- 54 percent -- said they prefer retailers decorating and promoting the winter holidays after Thanksgiving, but few hew to that trend.

Seattle-based Nordstrom, which doesn't unveil its holiday decorations until Friday, is an exception.

On the other end of the spectrum, Kmart has been open on Thanksgiving for several years, and Gander Mountain is promoting Thanksgiving shopping. Today marks Old Navy's first Thanksgiving opening, starting at noon with specials on jeans and other clothing, and kiosks and tie-ins featuring the "Rock Band" video game.

"We're going to try it this year and see what success we get out of it," said district manager Molly Arthur.

On Friday, Old Navy will reopen at 3 a.m., two hours earlier than in the past. Also throwing open their doors in the wee hours: Concord Mills, which will open at midnight this year, along with Prime Outlets in Gaffney, S.C., which is hosting its annual "Midnight Pajama Jam." Kohl's will open at 4 a.m., and Wal-Mart's after-Thanksgiving sales begin at 5 a.m.

But not everyone is in a rush to outdo the competition by opening earlier: Carolina Place mall in Pineville, which had in recent years opened at 1 a.m. for "Rockin' Shoppin' Eve," is opening at 6 a.m. this year, spokeswoman Tina Johnson said. Traffic, she noted, was not high enough to continue justifying the hours. Other malls are trimming their hours somewhat on the other end. Concord Mills, for instance, is closing an hour earlier on Friday this year than last.

Among the more unusual Black Friday offerings locally:

Premier Aircraft Sales, at the Concord Regional Airport, is holding its first Black Friday sale, with 10 percent and more off small planes that normally sell for $250,000 to $1 million. The hope is to get buyers off the fence in a downturn that has severely impacted general aviation sales, regional sales manager Ryan Ramos said.

Santa Claus will make his traditional debut at Monroe Crossing, formerly the Monroe Mall, on Friday -- with a high-tech twist. He'll be tweeting at twitter.com/monroesanta. No word on whether he's willing to dish dirt on who's really been naughty or nice this year.