Best Buy announces Black Friday VIP contest

Ho… lee… crap. Best Buy is running a contest for Black Friday. One winner in each of 25 select markets gets a $1,000 gift card, a ride to Best Buy in a limo, early access to the store (that’s at 4:30 AM, mind you), and a bunch of other stuff. Sheesh.

So how do you win? You submit a 250-word story on AskABlueShirt.net about what you do “to make the day after Thanksgiving a particularly fun and special day.” The press release says that Best Buy is looking for people “to share how Black Friday shopping is an important holiday tradition for them and their family.” Nothing like a little rampant American consumerism to bring loved-ones closer together, eh?

Full press release:

Do You Want to Be a Black Friday VIP at Best Buy?

Enter for a Chance to Win a $1,000 Gift Card and Early Entry into Select Best Buy Locations on the Morning after Thanksgiving

MINNEAPOLIS, October 29, 2008 – Best Buy recognizes that for many families across the country, getting out early on the day after Thanksgiving is an important annual tradition. That’s why the nation’s leading consumer electronics retailer will celebrate the Black Friday tradition this year by recognizing 25 shoppers through their Black Friday VIP contest, launching today.

Best Buy is looking for consumers in 25 cities to share how Black Friday shopping is an important holiday tradition for them and their family, and what kinds of rituals they have to make the morning after Thanksgiving an enjoyable kick off to the holiday season. Consumers can submit stories on AskABlueShirt.com from October 29, 2008 – November 18, 2008. One winner in each market will be notified by November 24.

“We know that for many of our customers, getting out early on the morning after Thanksgiving is about more than getting a great deal, it’s a way to celebrate the start of the holiday season with friends and family,” said Greg Johnson, senior vice president of marketing for Best Buy. “We do our best to make Black Friday a fun, festive time for our customers, including hundreds of hours of training to get ready for the day. This contest is another way we can recognize the importance of this tradition, and give some customers a truly special experience.”

Major VIP Treatment for 25 Winners

One winner from each of the twenty-five eligible markets will win a $1,000 Best Buy Gift Card and full VIP treatment including: a limousine ride to and from the designated Best Buy store below, on-site pampering and prizes for the winner and up to three guests, early admittance into the store at 4:30 a.m., and the opportunity to purchase up to four doorbusters. Each winner will also receive a Pure Digital Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder to document the Black Friday VIP experience. Some limitations apply. Full contest rules are available on AskABlueShirt.com. Participating stores include:

Atlanta
Store #896 – Edgewood
1210 Caroline St NE
Atlanta, GA 30307

Baltimore
Store #282 — Security
1701 Belmont Ave
Baltimore, MD 21244

Boston
Store #436 – Dedham
700 Providence Hwy
Dedham, MA 02026-680

Chicago
Store #815 – Clark St.
2650 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60614-1523

Cleveland
Store #1161 — Steelyard Commons
3506 Steelyard Dr
Cleveland, OH  44109-2388

Dallas
Store #58 — Walnut Hill
9378 N Central Expy
Dallas, TX 75231

Denver
Store #1134 — I-70 & Tower Rd
3511 N Salida St
Aurora, CO 80011

Detroit        
Store #1406 — Allen Park
3349 Fairlane Dr
Allen Park, MI 48101-2874

Houston
Store #291 – Galleria
5133 Richmond Ave
Houston, TX 77056

Los Angeles
Store #183 – Atwater Village
2909 Los Feliz Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90039

Miami
Store #1502 – Doral
10760 Nw 17th St
Miami, FL 33172-2012

Minneapolis
Store #1000 — Mall of America
340 W Market
Bloomington, MN 55425

New York
Store #1028 – Midtown Manhattan
529 5th Ave
New York, NY 10017-4608

Orlando
Store #157 – East Colonial
4601 E Colonial Dr
Orlando, FL 32803

Philadelphia
Store #579 – Deptford
1851 Deptford Center Rd
Deptford, NJ 08096

Phoenix
Store #260 – Mesa/Fiesta
1337 S Alma School Rd
Mesa, AZ  85210

Pittsburgh
Store #882 – Waterfront
680 Waterfront Dr E
Munhall, PA  15120-5000

Portland
Store # #1454 – Washington Sq.
8905 Sw Cascade Ave
Beaverton, OR  97008-7496

Sacramento
Store #364 – Citrus Heights
6110 Birdcage Centre Lane
Citrus Heights, CA 95610

San Diego
Store #352 – Mira Mesa
9540 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126

San Francisco
Store # 187 – San Francisco
1717 Harrison St
San Francisco, CA 94103

Seattle
Store #498 – Bellevue
457 120th Ave NE
Bellevue, WA 98005

St. Louis
Store #42 — Watson Rd
9450 Watson Rd
Crestwood, MO 63126

Tampa
Store #561 – South Tampa
1725 N Dale Mabry Hwy
Tampa, FL 33607

Washington, D.C.
Store # 1092 – Columbia Heights
3100 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20010-2310