Some Bellingham retailers will begin their sales marking the traditional start of the Christmas shopping season on Thursday this year.
Big Lots! off of Northwest Avenue will be open at 7 a.m. Thursday.
Michaels arts and crafts is set to open at 4 p.m.
Ken Oplinger with the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce says Bellingham is known to see some big Black Friday crowds.
He says retail sales are an important part of the local economy, and a lot of those sales happen on Black Friday.
Walmart, Kmart and sears will open starting Thursday night at 8, followed by Target at 9.
Bellis Fair Mall will open its main doors at 11:30, with most of the mall stores opening at midnight.
