We’ve all seen the creeping of Black Friday shopping. First it started around 6 a.m. or so the day after Thanksgiving, right? Then, like some inexorable shopping countdown, it moved to 3 a.m… then 2 a.m… then 1 a.m… and then midnight. Recently, more and more stores have decided to be open on Thanksgiving.
While some may say this is a way to lessen the frenzy of Black Friday, others see it as the big corporations depriving their hard-working associates of a traditional holiday in advance of a tremendously stressful (and profitable) day-after.
The massive Mall of America in Minnesota just announced that they will be closed on Thanksgiving Day this year. This means all Mall employees—those who run the movie theaters, amusement park and the like—will be off on Thanksgiving. This doesn’t, however, ensure that all the retail stores within the mall will be closed, but mall executives assume the individual stores will follow suit and close for the day.
It's official. Enjoy that extra slice of pie 🙂 pic.twitter.com/c2R97KVcjb
— Mall of America (@mallofamerica) October 5, 2016
Some stores that close may be doing so in order to garner favorable public opinion. And, if that’s what it takes in order to give employees back this holiday, then so be it.
so proud of the "Mall of America" for doing this! thanksgiving should be about family & giving thanks not shopping!https://t.co/VLx5s75NHl
— lovelyti (@lovelyti) October 5, 2016
The 45 stores (and counting) stores that will be closed on Thanksgiving* include:
- A.C. Moore
- American Girl
- AT&T (Customer Service Closed; Select Retail Locations Closed)
- Barnes & Noble
- Bed Bath & Beyond (Select Locations)
- BJ’s Wholesale Club
- Blain’s Farm & Fleet
- Burlington
- Cabela’s
- Christmas Tree Shops (Select Locations)
- Costco
- Crate and Barrel
- Dillard’s
- GameStop (5 a.m. Black Friday opening)
- Gardner-White Furniture (8 a.m. Black Friday opening)
- Guitar Center
- HHGregg
- Hobby Lobby
- Home Depot
- HomeGoods
- IKEA
- Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores
- Lowe’s
- Mall of America
- Marshalls
- Mattress Firm
- Menards
- Men’s Wearhouse
- Mills Fleet Farm
- Neiman Marcus
- Nordstrom (non-store employees working )
- Nordstrom Rack
- Office Depot
- Outdoor Research
- P.C. Richard & Son
- Patagonia
- Petco
- PetSmart
- Pier 1 Imports
- Publix
- Raymour and Flanagan Furniture (8 a.m. Black Friday opening)
- Sam’s Club
- Sierra Trading Post
- Staples
- The Container Store
- T.J. Maxx
- Tractor Supply
- Von Maur (9 a.m. Black Friday opening)
Be sure to check back, as we will be updating this list as we learn of other retailers and national chain stores that will be closed on Thanksgiving this year.
*Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine are required by Blue laws, to close all their stores on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Click HERE to see the list of 42+ stores that were closed on Thanksgiving in 2015.
Photo by khawkins04 