Special Report
20 Stores Open on Thanksgiving
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This upcoming Thanksgiving weekend, 164 million Americans, or close to 70% of the U.S. population, will start their holiday shopping. And, according to the National Retail Federation, an estimated 1 in 5 of those shoppers will start as early as Thanksgiving Day — something that would have been unheard of a generation ago.
Historically, retailers only began to turn a profit for the year — moving from red to black in accounting ledgers — on Black Friday. While still mostly true today, brick-and-mortar retailers feel the added pressure from e-commerce and the success of Cyber Monday. Therefore, many retailers aim to lengthen the holiday shopping season as much as possible. If retailers first started by stretching Black Friday hours, eventually bleeding into Thanksgiving, today Thanksgiving Day itself is a shopping day, although still dwarfed by Black Friday.
Nearly every major retailer in the United States will be open at least part of the day. The few who stay closed cry foul, claiming that workers deserve the day off. Even video game retailer GameStop, after three years of remaining closed on the Thanksgiving, gave in and announced its stores will once again open a day early.
Many, like Best Buy, Kohl’s, and Macy’s, will open their doors around 5 p.m., giving shoppers and employees the chance to spend time with their families before taking advantage of the weekend’s sales. Others will be open all day. Big Lots will open its doors at 7 a.m., while Sears will open at 6 a.m., and each will stay open until midnight.
The few major retailers that will remain closed are mostly in industries that do not rely so heavily on the five-day shopping period that runs from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday. These include hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s, and wholesalers like Costco and BJ’s.
Click here to see the stores open on Thanksgiving.
Based on public statements of major retailers, 24/7 Wall St. identified the companies that will open stores on Thanksgiving Day. We considered the top 100 retailers by U.S. sales, as measured by the National Retail Federation. Additionally, we considered companies with a broad nationwide presence. We excluded restaurant chains, as well as convenience stores and specialized service providers. All store location counts listed are annual U.S. sales figures, as determined by the NRF, refer to the parent company. The two exceptions are Sears and Kmart, for which sales figures and store counts came directly from the company’s most recent annual financial filing with the SEC. In the case of many of the companies on this list, when and whether to open is up to the individual locations, and some portion of the stores will remain closed on Thanksgiving or will have different hours than the ones listed here.
1. Belk
> Thanksgiving hours: 4 p.m.-1 a.m.
> U.S. locations: 294
> 2016 retail sales: $4.2 billion
> Headquarters: Charlotte, NC
The North Carolina-based clothing store Belk will open its doors to customers at 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving, just as it did last year. Expect to find sales on anything from trending women’s boots, kitchenware and appliances, and jewelry. The store will reopen at 6 a.m. on Black Friday and close at 10 p.m. Visiting the store — on either day — has its perks, or at least it did last year. In 2016, Belk gave away $2 million in gift cards to the first customers at every store on both Thursday and Friday.
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2. Best Buy
> Thanksgiving hours: 5 p.m.-1 a.m.
> U.S. locations: 1,360
> 2016 retail sales: $34.6 billion
> Headquarters: Richfield, MN
Nearly 1,000 locations of this electronic store will be open on Thanksgiving Day at 5 p.m. sharp. However, this was not the first time shoppers were able to take advantage of Black Friday deals at Best Buy. Starting on November 8, the retailer released hundreds of offers listed in its Black Friday ad for four consecutive days — a whole two weeks in advance of the big day and the first time the company has ever done this. Same deals will be offered again in the early evening of Thanksgiving and all day on Black Friday. Shoppers can expect most stores to remain open until 1 a.m., spilling into Black Friday. Stores will then reopen at 8 a.m. and close the doors at 10 p.m.
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3. Big Lots
> Thanksgiving hours: 7 a.m.- midnight
> U.S. locations: 1,432
> 2016 retail sales: $5.2 billion
> Headquarters: Columbus, OH
Big Lots will open as early as 7 a.m. on Thanksgiving and remain open until midnight. The company is actually offering special Thanksgiving Day deals, specifically a handful of furniture selections, including recliners, vanity sets, and console fireplaces. There will be deals going on all day Thursday, Friday, and even Saturday. The store will reopen on Black Friday at 6 a.m. and on Saturday at 8 a.m.
4. CVS
> Thanksgiving hours: Varies
> U.S. locations: 9,769
> 2016 retail sales: $81.5 billion
> Headquarters: Woonsocket, RI
According to a customer service representative, the pharmacy and convenience chain will be open at many locations around the country on Thanksgiving Day. Since CVS locations operate at both regular hours and 24/7, there are no standard opening hours also on the holiday. Black Friday deals will begin on Thanksgiving and go through Saturday, with several buy one, get one free deals on seasonal toys, M&Ms, and lights when purchasing with a customer card.
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5. Dick’s Sporting Goods
> Thanksgiving hours: 6 p.m.-2 a.m.
> U.S. locations: 794
> 2016 retail sales: $7.9 billion
> Headquarters: Coraopolis, PA
This sporting goods store will open up bright and early at 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving. Dick’s Sporting Goods will remain open until 2 a.m. the next day, but it won’t be closed for long. The store will reopen at 5 a.m. on Friday and will keep its doors open until 10 p.m.
6. Dollar General
> Thanksgiving hours: 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
> U.S. locations: 13,322
> 2016 retail sales: $22.0 billion
> Headquarters: Goodlettsville, TN
Dollar General is one of the few stores that will be open on the holiday. Opening its doors at 7 a.m on Thanksgiving, the store will be offering one-day deals on anything from Christmas tree decor to pajama pants until 10 p.m. Of course, some sales will be offered on both Thanksgiving and Black Friday and will even persist till Saturday. Stores will reopen on Black Friday at 7 a.m. and close at 11 p.m.
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7. GameStop
> Thanksgiving hours: 4 p.m.-10 p.m.
> U.S. locations: 3,992
> 2016 retail sales: $5.5 billion
> Headquarters: Grapevine, TX
For the first time in three years, GameStop will open its doors on Thanksgiving. The video game retailer decided to release its deals to the public early this year, from November 10-12, and specifically to those who are Pro and Elite Pro members of the chain’s PowerUp Rewards. As for the hours, it depends on where the stores are located. According to a representative from GameStop, stores located in strip malls will be open from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Stores located in shopping malls will be open during mall hours. Nationwide, GameStop stores will be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Black Friday.
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8. J.C. Penney Co.
> Thanksgiving hours: 2 p.m. – 10 p.m.
> U.S. locations: 1,006
> 2016 retail sales: $12.5 billion
> Headquarters: Plano, TX
JCPenney will once again open its doors on Thanksgiving, but this time an hour earlier than last year. The struggling retailer’s stock recently hit an all-time low and may be banking on Thanksgiving sales for a boost. To that end, some early shoppers will be given an envelope containing a coupon worth between $10 to $500 or more per purchase to be used in store. Stores will stay open all night, with deals starting up four days before Thanksgiving until November 29.
9. Kmart
> Thanksgiving hours: 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.
> U.S. locations: 735
> 2016 retail sales: $8.6 billion
> Headquarters: Hoffman Estates, IL
Kmart has long been one of the biggest retailers to open on Thanksgiving. It was doing so already for nearly 20 years before parent company Sears Holdings finally decided to follow suit with Sears stores. Most Kmarts will be open at 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving and will remain open until 10 p.m. on Black Friday. Others will close at midnight or at 2 a.m. on Black Friday and reopen at 6 a.m. that day.
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10. Kohl’s
> Thanksgiving hours: 5 p.m.- 1 p.m.
> U.S. locations: 1,169
> 2016 retail sales: $18.8 billion
> Headquarters: Menomonee Falls, WI
Kohl’s will open right before dinner at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Black Friday deals will begin online several days before, on November 20. For every $50 spent between November 20-25, shoppers will earn $15 in Kohl’s Cash. Kohl’s Black Friday ad includes anything from cameras and electronics to jewelry and children’s toys.
11. Macy’s
> Thanksgiving hours: 5 p.m. – 2 a.m
> U.S. locations: 825
> 2016 retail sales: $25.7 billion
> Headquarters: Cincinnati, OH
Thanksgiving is a big day for Macy’s, with an estimated 3.5 million people attending the retailer’s 91st annual Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade will lead people to Manhattan’s store in Herald Square, where it, and other Macy’s around the country, will open for business. Like last year, Macy’s will open at 5 p.m.on Thanksgiving with an early morning schedule for Black Friday, opening at 6 a.m. Sales will be spread out over the weekend, with the retailer offering 10 free mail-in rebate deals as well as free shipping for products over $49.
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12. Meijer
> Thanksgiving hours: 6 a.m. – varies
> U.S. locations: 231
> 2016 retail sales: $16.7 billion
> Headquarters: Grand Rapids, MI
Meijer will be open right at 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving, and a giant turkey is not the only thing you can buy at this hour. The supermarket will have a variety of products selling for 50% off their original price such as heaters and scooters and bicycles for the kids. All of the items in the chain’s 32-page ad will be on sale on Thursday only. The company has an entirely different ad for Black Friday shoppers.
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13. Michaels Stores
> Thanksgiving hours: 6 p.m – midnight
> U.S. locations: 1,234
> 2016 retail sales: $4.7 billion
> Headquarters: Irving, TX
Michaels will be open Thanksgiving Day’s at locations all over the United States, offering discounts on many items. The perks are even sweeter for rewards members, who will be allowed to start shopping at 5 p.m. — an hour before the store opens. The American crafts retailer will be offering its Make It Festive deal, with 50% off all Ashland Christmas decor collections.
14. Rite Aid
> Thanksgiving hours: Varies
> U.S. locations: 4,536
> 2016 retail sales: $26.8 billion
> Headquarters: Camp Hill, PA
Rite Aid is offering its lowest prices of the year during Thanksgiving weekend. Most stores and pharmacies will be open on Thanksgiving Day, but at varying times. The deals include buy one, get two free deals on Kellogg’s, Post and Quaker products, holiday gift wraps, and holiday boxed cards.
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15. Sears
> Thanksgiving hours: 6 a.m. – midnight
> U.S. locations: 670
> 2016 retail sales: $14.9 billion
> Headquarters: Hoffman Estates, IL
Sears first opted to open on Thanksgiving in 2010, and now it is one of the earliest major retailers to open on the day. Most of Sears locations will open their doors at 6 a.m. on Thursday and close at midnight. However, all of Sears doorbusters will be available online at Sears.com on Thanksgiving. All stores nationwide will open as early as 5 a.m. on Black Friday and close midday at 2 p.m.
16. Target
> Thanksgiving hours: 6 p.m. – midnight
> U.S. locations: 1,802
> 2016 retail sales: $69.5 billion
> Headquarters: Minneapolis, MN
For the fourth consecutive year, Target will open its doors to the public at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving, and — for the first time ever — the store will not close its doors until midnight. There will be an opportunity for REDcard holders to enjoy early access to over 100 Black Friday sales online at Target.com — two days early on Wednesday, November 22. Doors will reopen at 6 a.m. on Friday with deals like 13 TVs under $300 headlining the ad, and nearly 1,000 toys priced under $10.
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17. Toys “R” Us
> Thanksgiving hours: 5 p.m. – 11.p.m. Friday
> U.S. locations: 874
> 2016 retail sales: $7.0 billion
> Headquarters: Wayne, NJ
Toys “R” Us, operating under bankruptcy protection agreement, will open its doors right at 5 p.m. to eager shoppers, and it will remain open for 30 hours straight until 11 p.m. on Black Friday. Online, the deals will begin a bit earlier, at 9 p.m. on Wednesday. On the other hand, the company’s sister store, Babies “R” Us, will be closed on Thanksgiving but will reopen at 8 a.m. on Black Friday.
18. Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance
> Thanksgiving hours: 6 p.m.- 2 a.m. Friday
> U.S. locations: 974
> 2016 retail sales: $4.6 billion
> Headquarters: Bolingbrook, IL
Ulta will open its doors to the public promptly at 6 p.m. with deals on a variety of cosmetics and hair products and appliances. The store will close at 2 a.m. on Friday but not for long. Ulta will reopen at 6 a.m. and remain open until 10 p.m. The Black Friday deals will continue through Saturday, starting at 9 a.m. and lasting until 9 p.m.
19. Wal-Mart Stores
> Thanksgiving hours: 6 p.m. – varies
> U.S. locations: 5,284
> 2016 retail sales: $362.8 billion
> Headquarters: Bentonville, AR
Wal-Mart will open its doors at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving, but the deals will begin online at 12:01 a.m. that same day. A wide range of TVs and other electronics will be offered at a discounted price. Other items that will be marked down include anything from children’s toys and pajamas to movies priced at just $1.96.
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20. Walgreens
> Thanksgiving hours: Varies
> U.S. locations: 8,053
> 2016 retail sales: $79.3 billion
> Headquarters: Deerfield, IL
Walgreens plans to follow the Thanksgiving schedule of previous years, where both 24-hour and day locations operate at regular store hours. This year, Walgreens is offering 50% off some products ranging from cosmetic to electronics to chocolate with the use of the customer card. Pharmacy hours are separate from store hours and will vary by location.
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