Following a growing number of shopping malls and stores, Rosedale Center in Roseville said more than 55 of its merchants plan to open at midnight on Black Friday, the traditional start of the retail holiday season. 

"This is the first year that we have this type of midnight opening," Liz Ostrander, Rosedale senior marketing manager, said Monday. "Last year we had about 10 open at midnight and this year we have more participation.
"Prior to last year we’ve never opened at midnight," Ostrander said. But she added, "With Herberger’s and Macy’s kicking off the trend, our retailers followed."
The remaining Rosedale shops plan to open at 5 a.m. Friday, Nov. 23, the day after Thanksgiving. For a complete list of Rosedale stores opening at midnight on Black Friday, click on to this link: www.myrosedale.com.

Rosedale's plans is evidence of a growing "Black Friday creep" as more  merchants open earlier and earlier on the day after Thanksgiving and some  kicking off the traditionally-biggest shopping day of the year on Thanskgiving evening.

Walmart stores will open its doors at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012 and Target stores will open an hour later, at 9 p.m  according to TheBlackFriday.com.

Retail observers attribute the earlier and earlier Black Friday store start times to retailers seeking to gain a competitive edge to the start of the holiday shopping season.

For many retailers, the holiday season generates a quarter of their annual sales, with the percentage even higher for jewelers, according to industry sources such as the National Retail Federation.

The day after Thanksgiving is called "Black Friday" because historically it has been the day when many retailers reach profitability for the year or go "into the black." 

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