Connecticut bargain shoppers can get their customary early start on Black Friday, the unofficial kickoff to the holiday shopping season, with multiple malls and shopping centers extending their hours.
Westfarms in Farmington will open its doors at 8 a.m. on Friday and close at 9 p.m. Extended hours this weekend are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. A mall spokesperson said the “weekend of shopping will feature exclusive retailer sales and special promotions.”
Four stores at Westfarms will have modified hours on Black Friday including Macy’s (6 a.m. to 10 p.m.) JC Penney (5 a.m. to 10 p.m.), Nordstrom (9 a.m. to 9 p.m.) and Jordan’s Furniture (9 a.m. to 9 p.m.)
“The traditional single-day Black Friday event has transformed into an extended promotional period,” Westfarms general manager Elizabeth Ryan said. “With robust sales already underway and retailers introducing significant discounts, it is a week that truly rewards early shoppers. Many of these promotions will continue into early December.”
The Shoppes at Buckland Hills general manager Justin Roberts said Manchester mall’s hours will be 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday.
According to Roberts, multiple stores will be opening as early as 6 a.m. including Victoria Secret and Bath & Body Works. Macy’s opens at 6 a.m. and closes at 10 p.m. and JC Penney will be open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The mall will also have extended hours on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. JC Penney will be open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday will have normal mall hours from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. with the exceptions of Macy’s (10 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and JC Penney (11 a.m. to 8 p.m.).
“We have good crowds every year and we expect sales to be strong sales on Black Friday,” Roberts said. “It’s going to be a great holiday season at the Buckland Hills mall.”
Among other national retailers opening early throughout Connecticut on Friday are Kohl’s at 5 a.m. and Target, Walmart and Best Buy at 6 a.m.
Most TJ Maxx, Marshall’s and HomeGoods will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Burlington’s hours on Friday will be open from 7 a.m. to midnight. Barnes & Noble is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Danbury Fair mall will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Starbucks will open at 4:30 a.m. on Friday and Target, Macy’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods will be open at 6 a.m., while JCPenney will start welcoming customers at 5 a.m.
“Our leadership team is enthusiastic about all the great momentum we are experiencing at Danbury Fair. This is our favorite time of year, and we’re seeing bustling crowds with lots of shopping bags enjoying all the sights and sounds of the season,” Danbury Fair spokesperson Nicole Ruotolo said.
According to the National Retail Federation, 186.9 million people are planning to shop from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday this year.
Consumers are budgeting an average of $890 for gifts and other seasonal items during that span and families with children plan to spend $33 more on average on gifts this year, the National Retail Federation said..
Earlier this month, the National Retail Federation’s annual holiday forecast predicted that retail sales in November and December will grow between 3.7% and 4.2% over 2024.
