"The trick is to stop thinking of it as "your" money." - IRS auditor

SavingAdvice.com Blog

Bridging the gap between saving money and investing


Join Now or Login

Black Thursday

Here’s a Guide to What Time Stores Open Thanksgiving Day

By 5 Comments

Time stores open thanksgiving

In recent years, Black Friday and Thanksgiving have meshed into one day for retailers. Instead of having the day off, many retail employees have to report to work on Thanksgiving Day for early Black Friday sales. Walmart, most famously, has staggered deals on Thanksgiving on the hour starting at 6 p.m. Other retailers have held on to tradition and remain closed. So, here is what time stores open Thanksgiving Day.

Is There a Set Time Stores Open Thanksgiving?

No. There is no set time that stores open on Thanksgiving Day or “Gray Thursday.” For the most part, retailers wait until the evening hours before opening for sales. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. Certain stores will open as early as 6 a.m.

6 a.m.

  • Meijer: Meijer will be open on Thanksgiving if you’re in need of some last-minute items for your feast. Check with your local store for closing hours.

7 a.m.

  • Big Lots: Big Lots is one of few retailers remaining open all day Thursday and Friday. They will open at 7 a.m. on Thanksgiving and will stay open until the normal closing time Friday.
  • Dollar General: Dollar General will hold regular hours (7 a.m. to 10 p.m.) on Thanksgiving.
  • Rite Aid: Most Rite Aid locations will open at 7 a.m. Thursday. Check with your local store for hours.

8 a.m.

  • AAFES Exchange: The store that aims to help you save will open at 8 a.m. Thanksgiving Day.
  • Bass Pro Shops: Bass Pro Shops will close be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving.
  • Cabela’s: This retailer will be open from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.
  • CVS: CVS Pharmacy will be open at 8 a.m. Check your local store for their closing time.
  • Family Dollar: Family Dollar will hold its regular Thursday hours (8 a.m. to 9 p.m.).
  • Gander Mountain: To compete with Bass Pro Shops, Gander Mountain will be open at 8 a.m. as well.
  • Walgreens: Walgreens will open at 8 a.m. Closing hours may vary by location.

9 a.m.

  • Fred’s: Fred’s will be open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving.

1 p.m.

  • Goody’s: Goody’s will be opening at 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Closing hours may vary by location.
  • Stage Stores: Stage Stores will be opening at 1 p.m.

2 p.m.

  • JCPenny: JCPenny will be opening at an odd time this year. Most locations will open their doors at 2 p.m. and remain open until midnight.
  • Shopko: Shopko locations will be opening at 2 p.m.

3 p.m.

  • Dunham’s Sports: If you have a Dunham’s near you they’ll be open at 3 p.m. on Thursday.

4 p.m.

  • Belk: Belk opens its doors at 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving and will remain open until 1 a.m.
  • Gamestop: Most Gamestop locations will open at 4 p.m. The closing time will depend on the store. Some locations may be open through Friday night.
  • Old Navy: Old Navy is another retailer that will be open on Thanksgiving. They’ll open their doors at 4 p.m.

5 p.m.

  • Best Buy: Best Buy will open at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving.
  • Gordmans: Gordmans doors will open at 5 p.m. Closing hours may vary by location.
  • Kohl’s: Like last year, Kohl’s will open at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
  • Macy’s: Macy’s will be open from 5 p.m. until 2 a.m.
  • MC Sports: Areas, where MC Sports are located, will find them to be open after 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving.

6 p.m.

  • Bealls Florida: Bealls will open at 6 p.m. and close at 11 p.m.
  • Boscovs: This retailer is open from 6 p.m. until 1 a.m.
  • Dick’s Sporting Goods: Dick’s will be open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving with most locations closing at 2 a.m.
  • Five Below: Score amazing deals at Five Below from 6 p.m. until 1 a.m. on Thanksgiving.
  • Michaels: One of the most popular craft stores will be open from 6 p.m. until midnight and, of course, Michaels has some great deals planned.
  • Modell’s: Much like Dick’s, Modell’s will be opening at 6 p.m. Closing times will vary from location-to-location.
  • Sears: All Sears locations will be opening at 6 p.m. on Thursday.
  • Target: Target will also be opening at 6 p.m. and most locations will be open until midnight.
  • Ulta: If you’re looking for great deals on makeup, Ulta will be open from 6 p.m. until 2 a.m.
  • Walmart: Walmart will be open at 6 p.m. However, some locations may open their doors a bit earlier for shoppers to get on line.

Stores Remaining Closed on Thanksgiving Day

Not all retailers will have hours on Thanksgiving Day. Some have decided to allow their employees to enjoy the holiday with a day off. The retailers listed below will remain closed on the holiday.

  • A.C. Moore
  • Academy Sports
  • Ace Hardware
  • Acme Tools
  • American Girl
  • AT&T
  • Barnes & Noble
  • Bed Bath & Beyond
  • BJ’s
  • Burlington
  • Costco
  • Christopher & Banks
  • Crate & Barrel
  • Cost Plus World Market
  • Dillard’s
  • DressBarn
  • Designer Shoe Warehouse
  • Fred Meyer
  • Guitar Center
  • H&M Stores
  • Harbor Freight
  • Hobby Lobby
  • Home Depot
  • Home Goods
  • Ikea
  • Joann Fabrics
  • Jos. A Bank
  • La-z-boy
  • Lowe’s
  • Marshalls
  • Neiman Marcus
  • Nordstrom (and Nordstrom Rack)
  • Office Depot and Office Max
  • Pier 1 Imports
  • Petco
  • Petsmart
  • Pet Supplies Plus
  • Publix
  • REI
  • Sam’s Club
  • Sears Outlet Stores
  • Staples
  • Stein Mart
  • TJ Maxx
  • Tractor Supply

Save More Money on Thanksgiving

If you’re thinking about hitting the stores on Thanksgiving, you are not alone! You should remember one important money-saving rule before heading out: Make a list and stick to it.

Have your Christmas shopping list handy and map out which deals you’re going to shop ahead of time. Budget how much you’re going to spend and stick to that plan. Anything you purchase that wasn’t initially on the list (impulse buys) is wasted money.

Read More

List of Stores Closed on Thanksgiving Day 2017

By 29 Comments

Stores closed on thanksgiving
There was a time when Thanksgiving Day meant major retail outlets were closed for the day. That’s no longer the case. Even though it only started three years ago with a few retailers making the decision to open their doors on Thanksgiving Day to get an early jump on the holiday shopping season, it’s now becoming the norm. Since then, more and more retailers have decided it’s in their financial interest to also open their doors.

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.

Stores Closed on Thanksgiving

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.

  1. Small Independent Local Shops
  2. Apple Stores
  3. Barnes & Noble
  4. Bed, Bath and Beyond
  5. BJ’s Wholesale Club
  6. Burlington Coat Factory
  7. Christmas Tree Shops
  8. Christopher and Banks
  9. Costco Warehouse
  10. Crate & Barrel
  11. Dillard’s
  12. Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW)
  13. Guitar Center
  14. H&M
  15. Half Price Books
  16. Harbor Freight
  17. Hobby Lobby
  18. HomeGoods
  19. Home Depot
  20. Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts
  21. Lowe’s
  22. Marshalls
  23. Menards
  24. Mills Fleet Farm
  25. Nordstrom
  26. Northern Tool
  27. Office Depot and Office Max
  28. Patagonia
  29. Pep Boys
  30. Petco
  31. Petsmart
  32. REI
  33. Sam’s Club
  34. Sam Ash
  35. Sears HomeTown and Sears Outlet Stores
  36. Sportsman’s Warehouse
  37. Staples
  38. TJ Maxx
  39. Tractor Supply
  40. 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 23, 2017.

Wondering what stores WILL be open? Check out “What Time Stores Open on Thanksgiving 2017.” 

List of 50 Stores Not Open on Thanksgiving Day 2014

By 28 Comments

List of retail stores closed on Thanksgiving Day
There was a time when Thanksgiving Day meant major retail outlets were closed for the day. That’s no longer the case. Even though it only started three years ago with a few retailers making the decision to open their doors on Thanksgiving Day to get an early jump on the holiday shopping season, it’s now becoming the norm. Since then, more and more retailers have decided it’s in their financial interest to also open their doors.

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)