Most Chicago area stores closed on Thanksgiving as they prepare for Black Friday shoppers
YORKVILLE, Ill. - Retailers are preparing for a surge of shoppers this Thanksgiving weekend, but many will not even give people the option of shopping on Thursday.
Strip malls will be empty, and most big box stores will be closed on Thanksgiving as well.
The CEO of Target announced this week that their stores would be permanently shut down on Turkey Day going forward.
"Sometimes it's better to put the family ahead of corporate profits. And sometimes in the end of the day, it helps both ends of that equation," said Phil Flynn.
Flynn, Senior Market Analyst with the Price Futures Group, says many companies crunched the numbers and realized that sales were not that much better spread out over Thanksgiving and Black Friday.
Not to mention, Black Friday has turned into a sales all-month-long event.
Most shoppers that FOX 32 spoke to say they like the idea of no shopping on Thanksgiving, but rather spending time with friends and family.
"I'm fine with it. I think the families should stay with their loved ones, especially after the last couple of years," Joanne said.
"So happy, I was just talking to one of the employees who I've got to know pretty well, and I just went and said, ‘I’m so happy about that' because people should be shut down. Enjoy the holiday, be with your family, stop going and doing the Black Friday shopping. Eat food and enjoy it," Michelle said.
So closed on Thursday are malls, big box stores, Best Buy, and most large chains.
What will be open when you realize you need two containers of Cool Whip and not just one? Most grocery stores, but their hours may be shortened.