Black FridayChristmas Opinion

Which Stores are Open and Which are Closed on Thanksgiving

You are soon to be hit with a terrible choice. Will you side with those retailers who open on Thanksgiving Day or those who refuse to?

More than anything else it may be your politics that make the choice for you.

Seriously.

If you’re conservative, you’re pro-Thanksgiving shopping. Evidently, you so love capitalism, the freedom to shop and Black Friday that you’ll head out even on the blessed day of Thanksgiving to support it all at places like Macy’s, Walmart and Kmart. You get your Black Friday news from BFads.net, you hang on every word in the so-called War on Christmas, and doggone it, people had better say “Merry Christmas!” to you.

If you’re liberal, Thanksgiving Day shopping is something you shun. You are so put out by retailers opening their doors on Thanksgiving that you’re actually thinking of picketing those places while the turkey cools. If you do shop, it’ll be on the day after Thanksgiving at places like Costco, Bed, Bath and Beyond, and Nordstrom’s (where they celebrate one holiday at a time, you Christmas idiots). “Christmas Creep” is a real problem for you and it bugs you to see Christmas in stores even five seconds before Thanksgiving, much less five weeks. You get your Black Friday news from ThinkProgress.org and, doggone it, don’t tell me “Merry Christmas!”.

Yes, this is all part of the War on Thanksgiving, another drummed-up political ploy to further divide Americans.

None of this, of course, has anything to do with politics. It is more common sense and personal choice. We can keep the politics out of it.

So let me make this simple. I’m going to put two lists below — one for stores that are opened on Thanksgiving at some time and another for those who will not be open at all on Thanksgiving.

That’s all these lists are good for. They don’t represent a political position. They are not part of a “war” at all. They just represent a choice for you — to shop or not. That’s all.

Stores Open Thanksgiving

  • Macy’s
  • Walmart
  • Best Buy
  • Target
  • JCPenney
  • Kmart
  • Toys R Us
  • Kohl’s
  • Belk
  • Stores Closed on Thanksgiving

  • Costco
  • GameStop
  • American Girl
  • Nordstrom’s
  • Dillards
  • Burlington Coat Factory
  • Crate and Barrel
  • Marshalls
  • Gordmans
  • JoAnne Fabric and Craft Stores
  • Pier 1 Imports
  • TJ Maxx
  • REI
  • Homegoods
  • Now, let’s separate these two lists on practical lines instead of by political agendas. Black Friday has always belonged to the big box discounters. Other types of stores — the very same stores on the “closed on Thanksgiving” list above — hate Black Friday and all it has ever stood for. Black Friday is just not their day. It never has been When was the last time you saw lines on Black Friday at Nordstom’s or Costco?

    You haven’t. There’s a reason for that.

    So don’t think for one second that the “closed” stores above have anything to do with ideals or concerns for their employees and their families. It is all about — as it is always about in a for-profit venture — the money. In this case, it is more profitable for places like Costco to claim the high road than to give in and open on Thanksgiving.

    It is a hard truth that is absent of all politics whatsoever. And like all truth, it feels good.

    So as Jiminy Cricket advised, let your conscience be your guide. If you have no problems lining up on Thanksgiving to save a buck, go ahead. That’s your choice. If it offends you to think that participating in the commercial madness just a little earlier make that choice then. Either way, you decide.

    And the truth shall keep you free.

    Father of 7, Grandfather of 7, husband of 1. Freelance writer, Major League baseball geek, aspiring Family Historian.
    K
    You can add Harbor Freight Tools to the "closed for Thanksgiving" list too....
    K

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