Bargains, extended hours, marketing incentives and promotions abound – it's the jolliest time of the year for shoppers. And it's a time when many retailers hold their collective breath, hoping consumers open their wallets a little wider. The holiday retail shopping season officially begins Friday, Nov. 26, aka Black Friday.

Shoppers at Lake Zurich retail outlets, like kindred spirits all over the country, will find deals available in their own neighborhood on the day after Thanksgiving and beyond.

Projections indicate that shoppers will be out en masse. More than 138 million shoppers are expected to visit stores across the country over the Black Friday weekend, according to the results of a survey conducted for the National Retail Federation by BIGresearch.

Locally, both large chain stores and smaller retail operations plan to participate in the pre-Christmas gold rush.

Kohl's, at 675 N. Rand Road, is pushing it's opening time up one hour to 3 a.m. Friday. Last year, the store opened at 4 a.m., said Robert Mathews, store manager.

"There were lines out the door," he said, adding that early bird specials will kick in at 3 a.m. and remain in effect until 1 p.m.

Kohl's will stay open on Friday until midnight. The store will re-open at 6 a.m. Saturday and close at midnight. Mathews said the store will be open until 11 p.m. or midnight nightly through the holiday season.

At Walmart, shoppers won't even have to wait until the Thanksgiving turkey is out of the oven to search for deep discounts.

Unlike most local retailers, Walmart, at 820 S. Rand Road, will be open on Thanksgiving Day, giving the most dedicated shoppers a chance to scour store shelves and mob the cash wraps before the calendar rolls over into Black Friday.

The store will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday. Then, it'll close until midnight Thursday when it will reopen and stay open until midnight Friday.

The Lake Zurich Walmart's regular store hours are 6 a.m. to midnight daily.

At midnight on Thursday, consumers will find discounts on toys, apparel and home goods, a press release issued by Walmart's media relations department states. At 5 a.m. Friday, deals on electronics will kick in. Consumers can find updates on Walmart's special promotions by visiting www.walmart.com or becoming a fan on Facebook.

Home Depot, at 670 S. Rand Road, is closed on Thanksgiving Day, but will open early at 5 a.m. on Black Friday and stay open until its regular closing time, 10 p.m.

"We are not releasing any deals early," said Jen King, Home Depot's senior public relations manager, in an e-mail message. "Our ad will be on our Web site on Thanksgiving."

Costco, at 680 S. Rand Road, will open at 9 a.m. this Friday, an hour earlier than it usually opens, a store employee said.

There will be some special deals available at Page's Healthy Paws, 249 N. Rand Road, though owner Jody Page said she isn't sure yet which items will be discounted and how deeply the prices will be slashed.

The store will maintain its regular hours throughout the holiday season, she said.

Regular store hours also will be in effect on Black Friday and throughout the holidays at George Garner Cyclery, 575 Ela Road, said Tim Mittleman, store manager. There will be holiday discounts available, he said, but details are not yet available.

Target, at 555 S. Rand Road, will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but will open at 4 a.m. Friday, an hour earlier than the store opened on Black Friday in 2009.

The store, usually open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, will stay open until 11 p.m. on those days through Sunday, Dec. 5. Sunday hours, which usually go from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., have also been extended. The store will stay open until 10 p.m. Sundays through Dec. 5.

After December 5, Target will be open even longer hours through the remainder of the holiday season. Details will be available at 847-726-1174.

No specifics on Black Friday deals at Target are currently available, said store manager Nickie Matelli.

"There will be some sales in every department," she said.

More information on Black Friday's specials at Target will be available Wednesday on the store's Web site at www.target.com, she said.

The earlier opening time on Black Friday was prompted by past experience, Matelli said.

"It's just to offer a bigger window for shopping," she said. "I know we do have a line that forms outside."