Bargain hunters and shopaholics will probably enjoy Thanksgiving feasts early, as their stomachs may need time to settle before they embark on one of the heaviest shopping days of the year — Black Friday.

For years, people have gotten out of their beds during early morning hours to dash to their favorite retailers and take advantage of the special discounts offered the day after Thanksgiving. The same way many of these shoppers have already checked sale prices and developed a list of must-haves during their shopping adventure Friday, the stores have already geared up for the surplus of business they will gain in the next few days.

To accommodate loyal Black Friday shoppers, some retail stores plan for months to ensure the first official holiday shopping weekend runs smoothly. Extra employees are hired, entire staffs receive special training and security is increased as well. Some stores have even placed sale items online and started taking orders for merchandise.

One high-traffic area this weekend will be Valdosta Mall, which will open at 6 a.m. From apparel to jewelry, electronics and vanity items, shoppers are sure to find whatever they desire in various retail stores throughout the mall. Several mall stores will open at 5 a.m., including Old Navy, Belk and Sears. J.C. Penney is scheduled to open at 4 a.m.

On a quest to find the exact toys on their children’s holiday wish list, parents will be seen up and down the aisles of Toys R Us, which opens at 5 a.m., to take advantage of Black Friday sales. Items that are currently being advertised online include a Barbie Sing-A-Long CD Player, Bratz Make-up Doll, Disney High School Musical and Hannah Montana Slumber Combo, Speed Racer Race-A-Round Sound Helmet and Star Wars Clone Trooper Learning Laptop.

Best Buy, which will open at 5 a.m., already has some of its best items online, which include digital cameras, the latest CDs, DVDs and video games, high definition flat-screen televisions and much more.

Target has undergone preparation for its large expected draft of customers when its doors open at 6 a.m. Friday.

“With the state of the economy, I’m not sure whether we will have as big a crowd as we have in previous years; however, we are looking forward to a good turnout,” Store Manager Jarod Alford said.

In previous years, Target has reported more than 7,000 shoppers during Black Friday weekend.

Right down the street, Kohl’s will start its Black Friday sale at 4 a.m. Other venues for shopping include the Lake Park Outlet stores, such as Polo Ralph Lauren, Liz Claiborne and GAP.

With all of the strenuous activity shoppers will experience during the Black Friday madness as well as throughout the holiday season, Valdosta Police Department officials noted that it is imperative that everyone remains aware of their surroundings to ensure safe shopping.

The Valdosta Police Department is doing its part to keep shoppers safe by setting up a mobile command precinct at the Valdosta Mall from Friday until Jan. 1, 2009.

The mobile command precinct will monitor the activities around the mall and other businesses in the area. The vehicle is equipped with a camera that can pan in all directions and zoom into locations as far as one mile. A Valdosta police officer will be at the precinct at all times.

For more information about Black Friday or to find Black Friday sales online, visit www.bfads.net.