Black Friday Starts Thursday for Some

Black Friday officially begins at midnight Thursday in Deerfield and Northbrook, when some stores open their doors, but the official start is at 9 p.m. in Highland Park for those who want to go directly from turkey to shopping.

 opens its doors in Highland Park at 9 p.m., giving local shoppers a head start on places like  and  in Highland Park, which open at midnight. , along with  in , open at midnight as well, according to mall Marketing Manager Stacy Kolios.

Shoppers at Macy’s, Abercrombie & Fitch and Abercrombie Kids will have four hours to finish their shopping before  lets customers in at 4 a.m. An hour later,  begins its Black Friday, according to Kolios.

Most of the Northbrook Court stores will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, though  will operate from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., adding only an hour to its normal Friday, according to Kolios.

“We open when our customers like to shop and they don’t get up early to shop,” Neiman Marcus Public Relations Manager Paula Brady said. “It’s also nice for our employees to be able to spend the holiday with their families.” She added that the store will open earlier than the mall as a whole on Dec. 26.

In downtown Deerfield the pace will be more relaxed.  will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will be announcing customer specials on its website later today.

 will be open a little longer, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and will offer VIP bags to its earliest customers, according to sales associate Elizabeth Hrycyk of Grayslake.

Customers who spend more than $40 will be able to buy a VIP bag with more than $100 worth of merchandise in it for $20. “They will be available as long as they last so we’re urging people to come in early,” Hrycyk said.