Your guide to Black Friday shopping along Randall Road
You won't find any long lines snaking around Algonquin Commons as shoppers queue up for a free gift card on Thanksgiving night this year.
However, you still can expect to see shoppers searching for deals at that Randall Road area mall and others before their turkey is digested this year.
The organized Black Friday events at both Algonquin Commons and Geneva Commons malls will take place later in the day on Friday, Nov. 25, this year. As the day wears on, there will be sleigh rides, Santa visits, gift-wrapping and tree-lightings at the malls.
But the earlier events, including the free gift card giveaways and hot chocolate that drew many people to Algonquin Commons by midnight on Thanksgiving are gone.
Still, many stores will be opening at both malls either on Thanksgiving night, or early on Friday morning, attracting die-hard shoppers who head out for fun and to check items off their list, even without the draw of free gift cards.
For example, the Victoria's Secret store in Algonquin Commons will open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, and stay open through Friday evening.
Shopper Lisa McCormick of Elgin, who was at the store last week checking out what she wants on her list, said she intends to be out Thursday night shortly after her family's Thanksgiving gathering ends, and shop well into Friday morning.
"We all go every year and have the best time. I have to go because it's a tradition and I even get stuff done on my list," she said. "I kind of thought about skipping, but no, I won't."
While many stores have announced they will be closed on Thanksgiving this year - including the new Nordstrom Rack at Algonquin Commons, and TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Office Depot stores along Randall Road, there are plenty that still will be doing business on Thursday.
For example, the Target stores along Randall Road will open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving and stay open through the night into Black Friday; the Elgin store will close at 10 p.m. Friday, and the Algonquin store at 11 p.m. Friday.
At Geneva Commons, the Yankee Candle store will be open on Thanksgiving from 6 to 10 p.m.
Once it closes, the next business expected to open at the mall will be Starbucks inside of Geneva Commons, which will open at 3 a.m. to fuel shoppers ready to hit the aisles in search of perfect gifts.
A slew of stores are expected to open over the next few hours at the various malls, and up and down the Randall Road corridor.
For example, at 4 a.m. in Geneva Commons Bath & Body Works, Victoria's Secret, Hollister and New York & Co. will open.
If you're looking to hit a specific store at either of the malls, or anywhere from Batavia to Crystal Lake on the Randall Road corridor, you'll want to call them up first to find their specific hours.
Kim Gilmore of Gilmore Marketing Concepts, which does marketing for Algonquin Commons, said the individual stores set their hours, and there is not one set time that the mall's store will open.
What about Spring Hill?
As a whole, Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee will be open for shopping on Thanksgiving.
The mall's hours on Thursday are from 6 to 11 p.m. It will reopen again on Black Friday at 9 a.m. and remain open until 10 p.m. However, hours at some of the stores may vary slightly, so if there is a specific one on your list, you'll need to call ahead.
The mall also will be featuring visits with Santa on Friday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. He will not be at the mall on Thanksgiving.
Amy Williams' column covers all the news of business along the Randall Road corridor from Batavia to Crystal Lake. Contact her at randallbiz@comcast.net or (847) 894-5036.