Make the most of Black Friday

Not long after most people have gone to bed Thursday, scores of people — mainly women — will be donning comfortable clothing, picking up a highlighted stack of shiny circulars, and hopping into their cars for a day that lives in infamy: Black Friday.

This year’s annual bargain pilgrimage is tinged with an added level of urgency, as stores from Linens ’n Things to Mervyn’s are shuttering in the midst of a teetering economy. Some of the best deals in Huntington Beach will be at such stores. But avoid buying gift cards at shaky retailers, as they may lose their value if the company goes under.

The Bella Terra Mervyn’s will close between 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday unless it still has a large amount of inventory, store management said. Discounts are currently at 70 to 85% off retail. For more information, call (714) 891-5151

The Mervyn’s at 9811 Adams Ave. is projected to close on Dec. 24. Its discounts are 40 to 60% right now, store management said. For more information, call (714) 963-9731. At press time, everything at Shoe Pavilion in the Bella Terra mall was 50 to 70% off. Rather than amble aimlessly from store to store at the mall, savvy shoppers are making detailed battle plans. Many will start at X store, lining up for the free gift for the first 50 people to come in the doors.

Then they may hit a big-box retailer for hundreds of dollars off on a plasma television, likely to sell out within minutes of opening at 4 a.m.

From there, it will be an all-out assault on mall shops, seeking the most luxurious cashmere sweater, hottest video game or warmest down comforter at the lowest price.

Consumers who are confused about all of the similar deals on items like laptops, high-definition televisions, GPS devices and video game consoles can check out sites like bfads.net, where editors have created lists of the best deals ranked by brand and the number of features.

CANDICE BAKER can be reached at (714) 966-4631 or at [email protected].