All the fury of the past five years in retail: having stores open for business on Thanksgiving.
Walmart left its doors open all day on Thanksgiving (although the Black Friday deals didn’t go into effect until the evening). Best Buy has welcomed long lines of buyers starting at 5 pm Target has seen huge crowds at its initial Thanksgiving opening. And then there’s the near-dead JC Penney, who in recent years has opened his stores before to lure deal-seekers (last year at 2pm).
Kmart for many years was the king of Thanksgiving openings – it opened at 7am for over 20 years in a row. That won’t happen this year as Kmart is basically out of business after years of horrible management.
But with retail workers near exhaustion amidst a sizable increase in tasks during the COVID-19 pandemic, and people fearful of contracting the disease through large crowds, major chains have rethought being open on Thanksgiving Day. Thank you. To that, we say it’s a good move for early adopters, and now we’re looking for others in space to jump aboard the train.
Here are several retailers who say they will be closed this Thanksgiving.
Walmart
The world’s largest retailer went live on July 21 and said it will close its stores on Thanksgiving Day. It also revealed $ 428 million in new bonuses for full-time and part-time workers.
“We know this has been a difficult year, and our associates have taken a step forward. We hope you enjoy a special Thanksgiving at home with your loved ones, “said Walmart CEO John Furner.” We are certainly grateful to our people for all of their efforts. “
objective
The stylish and cheap retailer quickly followed in Walmart’s footsteps by announcing July 27 that it will close for Thanksgiving.
Target CEO Brian Cornell said: “The investments we’ve made in our business and our amazing team have allowed us to move flexibly and quickly to meet the changing needs of guests during this global pandemic. This year more than ever, a joyous holiday will be inseparable from a safe one, and we will continue to adjust our plans to deliver tranquility, value and the joy of the season in a way that only Target can. “
A Target employee returns the shopping carts from the parking lot, in Omaha, Nebraska, on Tuesday, June 16, 2020. US shoppers increased their spending on in-store purchases by a record 17.7% from April to May, delivering a dose of energy for retailers. They have been reeling since the coronavirus closed businesses, crushed the economy, and paralyzed consumers for the past two months. (AP Photo / Nati Harnik)
In mid-June, Target said it would permanently increase its starting salary for its store, distribution and headquarters employees to $ 15 an hour. That started on July 5.
Best Buy
Not to be outdone by a fellow Minnesotan, Best Buy said 24 hours after Target’s reveal that it will also close on Thanksgiving.
“We can all agree that, so far, 2020 has turned out differently than we might have expected. And now, the holiday season at Best Buy, including Thanksgiving, will also look different. To satisfy the changing lives of our customers this holiday season, we are improving the way we fulfill orders, from offering more convenient pickup options in our stores, to making sure that BestBuy.com orders arrive at the right time. We’re also going to start offering some of the best deals of the season sooner than ever, to make it even easier for our customers to review their gift lists. With these changes, we have also decided to close our stores on Thanksgiving Day. As always, customers will still be able to shop at BestBuy.com and through the Best Buy app, ”Best Buy said in a blog post.
Kohl’s
And last but not least (for now), retailer Kohl’s said July 29 will not open its doors on Thanksgiving.
“The holiday season is when Kohl’s shines the brightest, and as we move through this unusual holiday season this year, we are tailoring our plans in response to changing expectations and behaviors of customers,” said Michelle Gass, CEO. from Kohl. We are deeply appreciative of how our team of Kohl’s associates has come forward to serve our customers through this pandemic and we know that they will continue to show Kohl’s the best possible over the holidays. “
