Stores preparing to open earlier than ever for 'Black Friday'

Get ready, get set, shop. "Black Friday" is just four days away.

"It's almost like the Super Bowl of retail,” said Coral Ridge Mall Target store team leader Kurt Griebel.

Stores are already stacking up merchandise and pulling out all of the hot items for sales this Friday.

"It's kind of the kick-off for the whole holiday season, if you will,” said Best Buy Sales Manager Jonathon Humphrey.

But across Eastern Iowa, stores are getting even more aggressive. Many of the large retailers are opening up hours earlier than ever before.

"A lot of retailers have pushed back their opening to say competitive,” Humphrey said.

"We want to make sure we have an opportunity to get our deals out there as quickly as we can,” Griebel said.

Target and Best Buy are among those who will welcome shoppers at midnight on Black Friday.

That is the earliest either store has ever opened for one of the biggest shopping days of the year.

"In the past we've done a 4 a.m., we've done a 6 a.m., this is the first year we've ever tried a midnight. So I don't know, we'll see what happens,” Griebel said.

Managers at both stores say their employees don't seem to mind the change.

Rachael Sevcik says it won't bother her to clock in on Thanksgiving to work the registers at Best Buy.

"I hope it's not going to be bad. I'm kind of scared because I'll be eating turkey all day and then sleeping. But I'm excited because I will be all wired,” Sevcik said.

If you think midnight is early, Wal-Mart will begin holding Black Friday sales at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.

Managers aren't sure how early people will begin forming lines with the early opening times. Most expect that will happen throughout the day on Thanksgiving.