Black Friday Kicks Off at Mall of America

Mall of America opened its doors at 5 a.m. Friday, greeting guests with giveaways, entertainment, and shopping deals to kick off the holiday season. At the North entrance, Santa welcomed the first 200 customers in line with a Mall of America gift card, free Cinnabon and coffee.

Once inside, guests could walk through the Enchanted Snowflake Light Show and 11-foot Nutcrackers – both new additions to the elaborate holiday décor display at Mall of America, according to a news release.

“The holidays are a special time at Mall of America as families journey through our doors, creating memories,” said Jill Renslow, SVP of Marketing and Business Development at Mall of America, in a statement.

“We look forward to bringing the tradition and excitement of Black Friday to life with amazing holiday giveaways, unparalleled entertainment options and larger-than-life décor elements that truly bring out the magic of the season.”

In October, Mall of America announced it would remain closed on Thanksgiving Day to give the holiday back to more than 15,000 employees to spend with family and friends. On Thanksgiving morning, the annual Walk to End Hunger – a longstanding event aimed to raise awareness and funds to combat hunger issues – took place.

The only tenants that opened on Thanksgiving Day were Macy’s, Sears and the Crayola Experience.

Image via Cliff, Flickr, used under Creative Commons