Shopping Starts at Midnight on Black Friday

Black Friday will deserve its name in Alameda this year — department store and , both in the , will kick off the traditional start to the holiday shopping season with midnight openings on Nov. 25, the day after Thanksgiving.

Kohl's will remain open for 24 hours straight, according to a store employee, while Old Navy will close its doors at 11 p.m.

Also at South Shore, will open at 5 a.m. and at 6 a.m., store staff said.

Santa Claus, though, will let his reindeer snooze through the night. He arrives at South Shore at 11:30 a.m. Friday. A tree lighting ceremony is planned for 6:30 p.m. Starbucks will provide warm drinks for both events, and Peter's Kettle Corn will be popping fresh corn during the day.

At South Shore's , customers who paint anything between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. will receive a free heart dish.

Last year, hundreds of shopper braved the cold and lined up for the Black Friday midnight opening at Old Navy. Kohl's opened at 3 a.m. and Bed, Bath and Beyond at 4 a.m.

For more about the trend toward midnight openings by major retail stores, see this article in the Mercury News.