"Hang This Sign On Your Academic Journals" by Alan Levine via Flickr [CC BY 2.0]
In the past, just about everyone was able to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with their families – even those in the retail industry who are often forced to work irregular hours such as evening, weekends and overnight shifts. Very few people were expected to work on this day of family, food and giving thanks. In the past few years, that has changed. Black Friday isn’t enough for some retailers. They – and many consumers as well – want the deals to start earlier – like during Thanksgiving dinner. That’s because there are so many stores with Black Friday specials that it’s impossible to get to them all in just one day.
There is much debate about whether or not retailers should force employees to work on Thanksgiving. While it gives retailers an opportunity to capitalize on Americans’ desire to spend money during the holidays, it becomes a moral dilemma to many retailers. These merchants don’t feel right about making employees come in and work when they should be spending time with family. Is this right or wrong? At the end of the day, isn’t family more important than money?
Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island are the only three states that require stores to close on holidays. That means that if you live in those states, don’t expect any Thanksgiving Day shopping specials.
Have the urge to shop ‘til you drop after polishing off your Thanksgiving dessert? Many national retailers like Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Macy’s, Sears and Kohl’s will be opening their doors on Turkey Day. So which stores won’t be opening their doors on Thanksgiving this year? The following retailers object to having their employees work on such a special holiday and will be closed.
*Click on the store links below if you want to see their 2016 Black Friday ad scans and see what kind of deals the retailer has typically offered in the past! You can also see pre-Thanksgiving ads, Cyber Monday ads, toy books for 2017, and more.
Abt Electronics
AT&T
At Home
Christopher & Banks
Cost Plus World Market
Crate and Barrel
Ethan Allen
Gardner-White Furniture
H&M
HEB Stores
HomeGoods
Homesense
La-Z-Boy (Corporate-owned stores)
Marshalls
Mattress Firm
Nordstrom Rack
Outdoor Research (Closed on Black Friday as well)
Party City
Patagonia
Pet Supplies Plus
Publix
REI
Raymour and Flanagan Furniture
Sprint (Corporate- and dealer-owned stores; mall kiosks may be open)
Sur La Table
The Container Store
T.J. Maxx
Von Maur
In addition to individual retailers closing on Thanksgiving, the largest mall, Mall of America, also plans to close this Thanksgiving. Shortly following their announcement, one of the major mall groups of the U.S., CBL & Associates, also revealed that they will be closing over 73 of their shopping centers on Thanksgiving this year. CBL & Associates malls are mainly situated in the South and Midwest.
Look for Black Friday Ads
While the 52 stores listed above won’t be open on Thanksgiving, most will be open on Black Friday, so you can still take advantage of some great deals – just not while your turkey is still digesting. Black Friday hours will be announced soon, but some stores may open earlier than usual, so be aware of that. In fact, the deals will likely be better earlier rather than later, so if Black Friday shopping is on your agenda, don’t delay.
Most stores will have their Black Friday ads available in early November so check those for offerings and hours or call the store directly. Better yet, you may be able to find Black Friday deals online without having to get up early, stand in line for hours and fight crowds
Two Sides to the Story
For some people, the holidays are the only times they get to see their families. For those without families, the holidays may be simply a sad reminder of their past. Therefore, they may jump at the chance to work extra hours and get paid double or even triple their normal hourly rate. As you can see, there are two sides to this debate.
What do you plan to do on November 24th? Will you be having dinner and spending time with family and friends? Or will you be standing in line waiting for your favorite store to open so you can grab some killer deals on toys, electronics, appliances and other holiday goodies?
