’Tis the weekend retailers cherish. In the current economy, they’re pinning their hopes on weekend bargain hunters and holiday shoppers perhaps more than ever.

They’re off to an early start. JCPenney in Mount Berry Square Mall opened at 4 a.m. today — an hour earlier than the other 50-plus mall stores, including Belk and Sears, which opened at 5 a.m.

Rome’s two 24-hour Wal-Marts were open Thanksgiving Day, as was Kroger in Riverbend shopping center. Across Turner McCall Boulevard, Kmart in Etowah Shopping Center closed in the wee hours to prepare for advertised post-Thanksgiving sales but reopened at 6 a.m. to resume its 24-hour operations.

Rome News Tribune