Mall of America claims record Black Friday crowds

Mall of America
Crowds of Black Friday shoppers attempt to push their way through security staff moments after the doors opened outside of Best Buy at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., early Friday Nov. 25, 2011. Several retailers at the Mall, including Best Buy, opened their doors to bargain hunters at midnight Thursday.
AP Photo/The Minnesota Daily, Mark Vancleave

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (AP) -- The Mall of America has broken its Black Friday record for shoppers, thanks to a midnight opening.

Mall spokeswoman Bridget Jewell says 210,000 visitors came through the doors Friday. That breaks the Bloomington mall's Black Friday record of 200,000 shoppers set last year.

For the first time, the Mall of America opened Black Friday shopping at midnight. More than 120 stores at the mall opened at midnight.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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