Mall shopping specials planned for Friday

Relax as much as you can on Thursday, because come Friday, there is no resting allowed.

The businesses up and down Randall Road have shopping and activities planned from morning til night for Black Friday.

The call to shop begins bright and early as many stores lining the corridor from Batavia to Crystal Lake.

Starting at 6 a.m. Algonquin Commons, you early birds will get a chance to win a gift card valued up to $500.

Guest services at the mall will be handing out to the first 1,500 shoppers 13 and older.

Each bag will contain a gift card valued at least $5. However, some may have a $500 gift card inside.

The bags also will have coupons and flyers, and some will have prizes from some of the stores within the mall, including Cheeseburger in Paradise, Trader Joe's and more.

Don't think, though, that you can get off easy on this one.

Mall officials expect people will start lining up for tote bags long before 6 a.m., just as they did last year.

Between 6 and 10 a.m. shoppers can register to win prizes and one of five shopping sprees, including one valued at $2,500.

Various stores throughout the mall also will be holding their own special Black Friday events.

Shopping to the south: If you head south to Geneva Commons, the mall officially opens at 10 a.m. on Black Friday.

However, some stores at the mall will be holding special early-morning sales or events of their own that day in honor of Black Friday.

For example, Learning Express will open its doors at 6 a.m., offering door busters. And for every $100 you spend, you'll get a $10 gift voucher.

Tree lighting: For those of you who are still awake after the early morning wake-up call, and for those who aren't quite the die-hard shoppers, but are ready for some Christmas spirit, Geneva Commons has some evening activities planned.

The mall will hold its tree lighting ceremony at 5:30 p.m. near the bell tower, with Santa arriving to help light it up.

Then from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Santa will be there to meet little girls and boys and hear their holiday wishes.

Santa will be sticking around the mall for awhile this holiday season, too.

Every Sunday until Christmas, he'll be strolling around the mall from noon to 3 p.m. And every child he sees, he'll be greeting, so you may want to have your list ready.

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.