Article: ALL READY AND WAITING: STORES PREP FOR BIG RUSH AS BLACK FRIDAY NEARS.

Byline: David Moin and Sharon Edelson, With contributions from Liza Casabona

Black Friday is getting brighter.

Though holiday sales results are ultimately unpredictable and determined by the inevitable last-minute rush to malls, retailers are surprisingly upbeat about the outlook, predicting significant sales gains.

"Everything seems to be very well aligned," said Jane Elfers, chief executive officer of Lord & Taylor. "We are in an apparel cycle right now."

There are plenty of indications they have the wind at their backs: Sales have been strong so far this fall, despite mild temperatures in the Northeast; the stock market is holding ...

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