Are you ready to shop ’til you drop on Black Friday? We have put together this comprehensive guide to help you plan your day (or Thursday evening). Mom to mom, we want you to know about all the best deals, tips for shopping and the best places for food or caffeine! We even included activities if you get stuck standing in line. Our favorite section is “Unwind After Shopping” – ideas to recover from ALL that hard work!
Why We Love First & Main Town Center
As moms, convenience is key. First & Main Town Center is at the heart of the Powers corridor, and the number of great stores you can hit in the same area is helpful in planning your Black Friday. You’ll find stores with great gifts for the home, for the wardrobe, and for the Colorado lifestyle, as well as stores to help you relax at the end of the day, with movies, good food and great scenery.
Stores Opening on Thursday:
- Big Lots: Doors open at 7:00 A.M. and close at Midnight
- JCPenney: Doors open at 2:00 P.M. and close at 10:00 P.M. Friday
- Best Buy: Doors open at 5:00 P.M. and close at 1:00 A.M. Friday
- Target: Doors open at 6:00 P.M. and close at Midnight
- ULTA Beauty: Doors open at 6:00 P.M. and close at 2:00 A.M. Friday
- Dick’s Sporting Goods: Doors open at 6:00 P.M. and close at 2:00 A.M. Friday
Stores Opening on Friday:
Opening at 5:00 A.M.
- Dick’s Sporting Goods
- GameStop
Opening at 6:00 A.M.
- Target
- ULTA Beauty
- JOANN
- Big Lots
Opening at 7:00 A.M.
- Staples
- Cost Plus World Market
- PetsMart
Opening at 8:00 A.M.
- Best Buy
- Maurices
- Lane Bryant
Opening at 9:00 A.M.
- Dressbarn
- Pier 1 Imports
Opening at 9:30 A.M
- T.J. MAXX
COSMB Picks for Best Deals:
TARGET
- XBox One $189.99, regularly $279.99 + Receive a $25 Gift Card with purchase
- Nikon D3400 DSLR bundle $499.99, regularly $899.99
- Barbie Big Box $29.99, regularly $59.99
- Google Home Mini $29, regularly $49 + Receive a $10 Gift Card with purchase
- Electric Ride-On Kid Trax Custom Coupe: $85, regularly $149.99
- Jetsom Beam Electric Scooter $199, regularly $299.99
- VTech Digital Video Baby Monitor $89.99, regularly $179
- KitchenAid Ultra Power Plus 4.5-qt. tilt-head stand mixer $249.99, regularly $349.99
- Kids Character Sleep Sets $5
- Kids Graphic Tees $5
BEST BUY
- Microsoft – Surface Pro Core M with Black Type Cover – Platinum: $629, regularly $999
- Beats by Dr. Dre – Beats Studio2 Wireless Over-the-Ear Headphones $159.99, regularly $379.99
- Sharp 50″ LED 4K Ultra HD 2160p Smart Roku TV $179.99, regularly $499.99
- Apple 13″ MacBook Air $799.99, regularly $999.99
- Turtle Beach – RECON 150 Wired Gaming Headset $39.99, regularly $69.99
JCPENNEY
- Samsung 26 Cu. Ft. 3-Door French-Door Refrigerator $995, regularly $1,999
- iLive Voice Activated Concierge Wireless Speaker With Amazon Alexa $39.99, regularly $99
- On Tour Open Stock Hardside Luggage $39.99, regularly $180 – $220
- Crosley Cruiser Deluxe Portable Turntable $49.99, regularly $119
- Mermaid Sequin Pillow $8.99, regularly $27
- Complete Bedding Set With Sheets $39.99, regularly $110 – $170
- Red Box Women’s Boots $19.99, regularly $49 – $79
- A.N.A. Faux Leather Jacket $29.99, regularly $120
- Instant Pot Duo60 6-Qt.Pressure Cooker $79.99, regularly $130
- Nerf Modulus $24.99, regularly $50
ULTA BEAUTY
- Urban Decay Nocturnal Box $14.50, regularly $29.00
- Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit $24.99, regularly $40
- NYX Lippie Countdown Advent Calendar $29.99, regularly $65
- Laura Geller New York Gilded Goddess Kit $19, regularly $71
- BAREMINERALS Holiday Gift Sets $10, regularly $25.00
DICK’S SPORTING GOODS
- Jump Power 14’ Trampoline with Net $159.98, regularly $299.99
- Goaliath 54” Warrior In-Ground Basketball Hoop with Pole Pad $399.99, regularly $999.99
- 50-70% OFF all regular price Diamondback & Huffy bikes (in-store only) Regularly $84.99 – $799.99
- The North Face Men’s and Women’s Alpz Down Jacket $99.98, regularly $160
- M/W Top-Flite XL Complete sets $129.98, regularly $299.99
BIG LOTS
- Foosball Coffee Table $199.99, regularly $279.99
- Simmons Rocker Recliners $189, regularly $285 (Thanksgiving Day Only)
- 60in Console Fireplace $349, regularly $499 (Thanksgiving Day Only)
- All DVD Movies $1.88 – $2.88 Each
- All Hot Wheels, Fisher Price, Nerf Buy 2 Get 1 Free
STAPLES
- HP Pavilion Laptop with Intel® Core i7 Processor $499, regularly $809.99
- Star Wars T65 X-wing Fighter Quadcopter Drone $99.99, regularly $149.99
- Amazon Fire 7″ Display, 8 GB Tablet $29.99, regularly $49.99
- HP OfficeJet Pro 8720 Black All-in-One Inkjet Printer $199.99, regularly $299.99
- Dell UltraSharp 24″ IPS LED Monitor $169.99, regularly $299.99
COST PLUS WORLD MARKET
- All Toys Buy 1 Get 1 Free, regularly $19.99 – $39.99
- Reversible Fleece Robe $17.99, regularly $29.99
- Gold Medal Bordeaux Wine 4 Bottle Gift Set $27.49, regularly $54.99
- La Marca Prosecco Wine $9.99, regularly $21.99
- All Mugs Buy 1 Get 1 Free
PETSMART
- Aqueon LED Tank & Stand Ensemble 36 Gal $99.99 (Before Noon) $134.99 (After Noon), regularly $249.99
- All Pets 50% Off (In-Store Only)
- Select All Living Things Small Animal Habitats 50% Off
- Entire Stock ED Ellen DeGeners Dog Apparel 50% Off
- Zoo Med™ ReptiHabitat® Bearded Dragon 40 Gallon Terrarium Kit 50% Off
Shopping Tips:
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Go in with a Plan
- We have shared our top picks at various stores, but what are yours? Thumb through Black Friday ads and make your list of the items you would love to purchase from each retailer. Heading into each store with a plan will help you to stay focused. It will feel good to cross items off your list.
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Download the Cartwheel App
- If Target is on your agenda, make sure you have the Cartwheel App on your phone. Utilize the app’s search feature, which will enable you to search specific items and see their aisle location in the store.
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Bring Power
- This is a great day to bring a portable charger with you. You definitely don’t want your phone dying on such a busy shopping day.
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Shop with a Friend
- Black Friday is going to be hectic, and perhaps a bit stressful at times. Since friends make everything better, be sure to bring one or two along for the ride. With your friends in tow, you can work out a divide and conquer shopping strategy. Once you have all of your items, friends will help you pass the time in line.
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Dress Comfortably
- There is going to be a lot of walking and a lot of standing. Be sure to wear comfy shoes.
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Ask for a Gift Receipt
- This is such an easy step and can make returns a lot easier.
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Have Fun
- Keep your spirits up on a day that is bound to be a long one. Stay kind. Stay sociable. Stay joyful and you will have an amazing time.
Killing Time in Line:
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Catch up on Reading
- Do you have a book you have been dying to read? Get the Kindle App and send the book to your phone. Getting lost in a book is a great way to handle long lines. In no time at all, you will be checking out at the register.
- Escape in our blog. You will find yourself relating to post after post and time will fly by. Here are a few post suggestions:
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Catch up on Shows
- If your phone has the battery power and if you brought a portable charger along, using your time in line to catch up on shows is a perfect use of multitasking. If the store has wi-fi that you can connect to, that’s even better. Make sure you bring your earbuds along. One word of advice, don’t use this time to catch up on This is Us. You don’t want to be sobbing uncontrollably while in line.
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Play Games
- Get your brain thinking and have some fun with some game apps . Start a few Words with Friends games or if you want to play solo, we suggest WordBrain. If you have friends in line with you, Ellen’s favorite Heads Up! is always fun. Plus, if you play this game in line, you may find that others in line around you will also join in. The more the merrier.
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Shop Online
- If the store was out of one of your coveted items, now is the perfect time to find it online. This part will take patience, as websites will be running slower than usual. Add a slow connection into the mix and you may have a challenging time shopping online. But there is always a chance it will go without a hitch, so definitely give it a shot.
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Make New Friends
- Long lines give you a perfect opportunity to get to know someone new. You never know who you will be fated to meet on this busy, but fun day. Chat up the lovely gals around you. Maybe you will make a new friend or two.
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Order Food to Go
- This guide is filled with many food suggestions. If you want to make this piece go even faster, use your phone to place your order online for pickup. Make sure you give yourself ample time, as you may be in line for a while. It will feel good to leave the store and head right into a restaurant where your food is ready and waiting for you. It will be a nice reprieve from line standing.
Best Places to Grab Breakfast:
Chick-fil-A: Opens at 6:00 A.M.
- COSMB Pick: The Egg White Grill. A breakfast portion of grilled chicken with a hint of citrus flavor, stacked with freshly cooked egg whites and American cheese, served on a toasted multigrain English muffin.This healthy breakfast sandwich packs a protein punch to carry you through your morning of shopping.
Panera Bread: Opens at 6:00 A.M.
- COSMB Pick: Greek Yogurt with Mixed Berries. You will love this greek yogurt with honey, maple butter pecan granola with whole grain oats, and fresh strawberries and blueberries. It is easy to take on the go.
Kneaders Bakery and Cafe: Opens at 7:00 A.M.
- COSMB Pick: Irish Oatmeal: Steel cut Irish oatmeal served with your choice of topping and brown sugar on the side.
Jamba Juice: Opens at 7:00 A.M.
- COSMB Pick: Apples N Charge Super Blend Smoothie. Sip and shop with this fruity and delicious smoothie made with apples, bananas, pumpkin seeds and ground cinnamon.
Jack in the Box: Opens at 6:30 A.M.
- COSMB Pick: Ham and Egg Breakfast Pocket. Grilled ham, egg, and two melty cheeses packed together in a grilled flour tortilla. Delicious and portable.
Refuel Options:
Coffee and Tea Zone: Open 9:00 A.M. – 10:30 P.M.
- COSMB Pick: Gingerbread Latte. Chai, gingerbread and cinnamon.
Kangaroo Coffee: Open 5:00 A.M. – 10:00 P.M.
- COSMB Pick: White Chocolate Cinnamon Mocha. YUM!
Panera Bread: Open 6:00 A.M. – 9:30 P.M.
- COSMB Pick: Chai Tea Latte. Freshly brewed black tea with honey, vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and foamed milk.
Jamba Juice: Open 7:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M.
- COSMB Pick: ACAI PRIMO™. This energy bowl is a blend of açaí, soymilk, bananas, strawberries, blueberries and ice. It is topped with granola, bananas, coconut, honey and blueberries.
Quick Bites for Lunch:
Five Guys: Open 11:00 A.M. – 10:00 P.M.
- COSMB Pick: Cheeseburger with grilled mushrooms and mayo. Don’t forget the fries.
Honeybaked Ham: Open 9:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M.
- COSMB Pick: Ham Classic. Ham, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, savory mayo and hickory honey mustard on a flaky croissant .
Chick-fil-A: Open 6:00 A.M. – 10:00 P.M.
- COSMB Pick: Grilled Market Salad. Sliced grilled chicken breast served on a fresh bed of chopped Romaine lettuce and baby greens, topped with shredded red cabbage and carrots,crumbled blue cheese and a mix of red and green apples, strawberries and blueberries. Made fresh daily. Served with Harvest Nut Granola, Roasted Nut Blend, Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette dressing.
Panda Express: Open 10:00 A.M. – 10:00 P.M.
- COSMB Pick: Honey Walnut Shrimp. Large tempura-battered shrimp, wok-tossed in a honey sauce and topped with glazed walnuts.
Garbanzo: Open 10:30 A.M. – 9:00 P.M.
- COSMB Pick: Falafel Plate with hummus, tabbouleh and Tzatziki sauce. Be sure to add a side of pita or homemade chips.
Unwind After Shopping:
Wobbly Olive: Open 4:00 P.M. – Midnight
- COSMB Pick: Malibu Barbie.
Bar Louie: Open 11:00 A.M. – 2:00 A.M.
- COSMB Pick: Strawberry Peach Bellini.
Massage Envy: Open 8:00 A.M. – 10:00 P.M.
- COSMB Pick: Do your future self a favor and make an evening massage appointment now. Your tired legs and sore back will thank you.
Just For Dads:
Men, if you are headed out on Black Friday, we have plenty of great ideas for you too! Take our suggestions below, or score major brownie points by shopping for your wife
Grab a beer, catch a bite to eat or watch a game
- Fox & Hound: Open 11:00 A.M. – 2:00 A.M.
- Old Chicago: Open 11:00 A.M. – 2:00 A.M.
Stock up on supplies to fight the holiday gut
- GNC: Open 10:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M.
- Dick’s Sporting Goods: Open 9:00 A.M. to 9:30 P.M.
Get all the Christmas lights and decor
- Lowe’s: Open 6:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M.
Grab a haircut
- Floyd’s 99 Barbershop: Open 9:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M.
- SportClips Haircuts: Open 9:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M.