There are two arguments to this trend, with both sides looking at the issue quite differently. The stores which open on Thanksgiving Day (also called Gray Thursday or Black Thursday) argue consumers like to have an extra day to shop for the holiday season which gives them more flexibility, and point to the fact that if consumers really didn’t like the idea, they wouldn’t come when their doors open. They also argue that if their competitors are open for the day, and they fail to follow suit, they will lose sales to them. In fact, for many retailers Thanksgiving Day has become the new Black Friday when the best deals will be available.
On the other side, those who advocate retailers should remain closed argue Thanksgiving is a holiday about family and thankfulness, and should be spent with family. Retailers who open stores on this day are keeping their employees away from their families because they have to work. They also note that being open on Thanksgiving doesn’t actually increase overall holiday sales for the retailers, but simply displaces sales which consumers would have made on Black Friday or some other later date. In other words, Thanksgiving sales don’t generate more overall sales, but they are at the expense of Black Friday which will be lower if the stores also open on Gray Thursday.
Although the trend is for stores to open on Thanksgiving Day, even if it’s only for a few hours, there are some retailers who still refuse to follow suit. In fact, they are some of the biggest cheerleaders in trying to shame those retailers who do open for Gray Thursday. Below you’ll find a list of 50 stores (and counting) which have announced they will remain closed on Thanksgiving to give their employees the day off with their families.
- Small Independent Local Shops
- Academy Sports
- AC Moore
- American Girl
- Apple Stores
- Barnes & Noble
- Bass Pro Shops
- Bed, Bath and Beyond
- BJ’s Wholesale Club
- Burlington Coat Factory
- Cabela’s
- Christmas Tree Shops
- Christopher and Banks
- Costco Warehouse
- Crate & Barrel
- Dillard’s
- Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW)
- Fort Western
- GameStop
- Gordmans
- Guitar Center
- Half Price Books
- Harbor Freight
- Hobby Lobby
- HomeGoods
- Home Depot
- Jo Ann Fabrics and Crafts
- Lane Bryant
- Lowe’s
- Marshalls
- Menards
- Navy Exchange (and all base exchanges)
- Neiman Marcus
- Nordstrom
- Patagonia
- PC Richards & Sons
- Petco
- Pier 1 Imports
- Publix Food and Pharmacy
- REI
- Saks 5th Avenue
- Sam’s Club
- Sierra Trading Post
- Shop Rite
- Sur La Table
- Talbots
- TJ Maxx
- Tractor Supply
- Trader Joe’s
- True Value
If you know of another store that will remain closed on Thanksgiving Day, please leave the name of the retailer in the comments so we can add it to this growing list of stores that won’t be open on November 27, 2014.
(Photo courtesy of Ben Husmann)
Good for these stores. I refuse to shop on Thanksgiving Day because I don’t want to be the reason that someone else has to work on that day. I hope more people boycott the store that are open on Thanksgiving.
It won’t be long before Thanksgiving is just another shopping day. Kmart stores are opening at 6 AM on Thanksgiving. It’s ridiculous.
It’s good to see some of the stores bucking the trend, but I will be more impressed if this list remains as long as it is now in 5 years. The writing is on the wall. Thanksgiving is now another consumer driven day.
So Sam’s Club is closed and Walmart is open? Nice family values there, Waltons.
Bass Pro Shops will be closed.
Thank you. Added.
You have Nordstrom on here twice. They are the 27th and 29th from the top.
Thank you. Fixed
Home Depot will be closed as well.
Oh, damn, I just seen Home Depot on the list. DOH!
Lane Bryant
Governor Square Mall Tallahassee, Florida
Added. Thank you.
All base Exchanges are closed for the holidays (e.g. AAFES, MCX, etc.), not just the Navy Exchange.
Thank you. Noted in article.
Let’s not forget all the local independent shops that will be closed as well 🙂
Yes, very true. Added.
Christopher and Banks will be closed
Thank you. Added.
PC Richards & Sons has always closed for Thanksgiving always citing its a day for family.
This has been added. Thank you.
Cabela’s will be closed.
Thank you. Added.
Would also like to add most Apple Stores will be closed as well.
Thank you. it’s been added.
Menards is closed
Added. Thank you.
Congratulations to these stores, this is where I will be doing all of my holiday shopping. If we want these stores to continue to close on thanksgiving they need our financial support.
Thank You to these stores for honoring our families and traditions. Taking a screenshot shot of these stores. They have become my Christmas shopping stores! The open stores should have thought about family togetherness before their greed!