This year, it’s opening Black Friday morning.
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REI announced last month that, not only is the store not opening on Thanksgiving, the outdoor retailer will stay closed for Black Friday, too, telling it’s customers: “Get outside!”
We see signs, however, that the media-driven Gray Thursday/Black Friday shopping event is as dated as last year’s fruitcake. All of them will open for business on Thanksgiving Day, except for Bassett Place.
Thanksgiving Day: 6:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.
“It is taking people away from a holiday that is based around spending time with friends and family“, the letter reads.
Many say stores staying open for Thanksgiving is unfair to the stores’ employees who may want to spend Thanksgiving with their families.
Think Progress also said that a K-Mart “spokesperson said in an email this is not consistent with store protocol, which is to post all schedules, including for holidays, two weeks in advance and to limit any changes”.
Say what you will about the origin of Thanksgiving, every year sentiments about self-entitled pilgrims seem to grow and distaste for the holiday abounds.
This year, consumers were expected to complete more holiday shopping (29 percent) before the start of Black Friday week than during (26 percent), according to consulting firm PwC’s holiday shopping outlook. The financial condition of a modern retailer doesn’t hinge on one day. Yes, a few stores will open their doors Thanksgiving afternoon betting shoppers will open their wallets.
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Black Friday shoppers generally look for big-ticket items such as flat screen TVs that carry a larger discount than apparel promotions, said Charlie O’Shea, retail analyst for Moody’s.
