Braving the Malls on Black Friday in Dallas, Texas

With the abundance of shopping malls in the Dallas area, the day after Thanksgiving holds many options for the shoppers willing to brave the crowds for a good deal. Black Friday is named for the first day of the year stores traditionally move from the red to the black in their accounting books. To help with sales figures, stores slash prices and offer teaser rates to draw in the crowds.

A typical favorite in Dallas are the cheap laptops offered by electronics stores such as Best Buy and Circuit City. Not to be outdone, Walmart offered a select number of inexpensive laptops to customers willing to wait in line, usually overnight, for hundreds of dollars of savings. If you expect to get a great deal on the hot new electronic item, expect to line up early. Last year Best Buy had a line as early as 5 PM on Thanksgiving, immediately following Thanksgiving dinner.

Some stores in Dallas will open at midnight to capitalize on shoppers who are night owls or impatient to begin the holiday shopping.

Allen Premium Outlets in Allen, open at midnight with door buster savings that last until the next morning. With stores such as the Gap Outlet, Tommy Hilfiger, Gymboree Outlet and Stride Rite Keds Sperry opening at midnight with extended hours, shoppers can hit the outlet stores after dark and the malls early in the morning. Join the VIP Club online to save even more with printable coupons and a free coupon book good for stores throughout the mall.

Other retail malls in Dallas open early and promise special holiday programs for tired shoppers.

Galleria Dallas will open at 8 a.m. on Black Friday. The anchor stores, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue and Macy's generally offer deals on clothing, jewelry and shoes. After shopping, the Galleria will host a tree lighting ceremony and skate show with Dorothy Hamill beginning at noon. The Galleria is located on the northeast corner of I-635 and the Dallas North Tollway.

Willow Bend Mall, on the corner of Park Rd and the Dallas North Tollway in Plano, also opens at 8 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving. Usually the best thing about this mall is the kids' play area, but with an Apple store, babystyle and Japanese Weekend Maternity, upscale shopping can be found without trekking to NorthPark Center.

NorthPark Center, located off I-75 and Northwest Highway, opens at 7 a.m. on Black Friday. The most upscale mall in Dallas, NorthPark shopping is an experience rather than a bargain hunter's paradise. With sales, perhaps the prices at NorthPark will be reasonable for a change. A favorite children's clothing store, Hanna Andersson, has one of its few US stores in NorthPark Center. Other stores include Barneys New York, Coach, Juicy Couture, and Tiffany & Co. During the holiday season, NorthPark Center hosts a display of model trains to benefit Ronald McDonald House and an SPCA adoption center.

Other Dallas malls include:

Collin Creek Mall opens at 6 a.m. and is located off I-75 and Plano Parkway in Plano.

Stonebriar Centre opens at 6 a.m. and is located off Preston Road and Highway 121 in Frisco.

Valley View opens at 6 a.m. for stores that choose to open and is located off I-635 (LBJ) and Preston Road in Dallas.

Shopping on Black Friday is not for the faint of heart but if you are going to shop anywhere, Dallas is the place to do it. Alternatively, you could celebrate Buy Nothing Day at home with your family.