Are you planning on doing some Thanksgiving Day shopping? Don’t go anywhere until you check this list.
Most towns have at least one or two stores that stay open. Gas stations often stay open. Drug stores might as well.
However, to ensure you don’t waste your time driving to a store that isn’t open, we’ve compiled a list of stores that are closed on Thanksgiving.
Additionally, if you want to know who’s open on Thanksgiving Day, we’ve got all the details you’ll need to have a successful shopping trip.
In This Article
Stores Closed on Thanksgiving Day
You may or may not have these stores in your town. If you do, they’re closed on Thanksgiving.
Big Box Stores
The two largest big box stores in the nation will be closed on Thanksgiving Day.
1. Walmart
2. Target
Electronics Stores
If you need to make an electronics purchase on Thanksgiving, you’ll want to avoid these stores since they will be closed.
3. Best Buy
4. Micro Center
Home Improvement Stores
These major home improvement stores will all be closed on Thanksgiving:
5. Lowe’s
6. Menard’s
7. Home Depot
8. ACE Hardware
Plan your home improvement shopping for Black Friday.
Farm and Fleet Stores
Interested in farming and hunting? These supply stores are closed on Thanksgiving:
9. Fleet Farm
10. Tractor Supply
11. Blain’s Farm and Fleet
However, it’s only for a day. These store chains will be open on Black Friday.
Specialty Grocery Stores
The following popular grocery stores are closed on Thanksgiving:
12. Aldi
13. Trader Joe’s
14. Publix
15. Whole Foods Market
Note that the Whole Foods website says that many stores will have limited open hours on Thanksgiving. They suggest checking with your favorite store to confirm hours.
Bookstores
You won’t be able to visit these bookstores on Thanksgiving:
16. Barnes and Noble
17. Half Price Books
However, local bookstores may be open.
Home Decor Stores
These home decor stores are closed on Thanksgiving:
18. At Home
19. IKEA
20. HomeGoods
21. Bob’s Discount Furniture
22. Homesense
23. MattressFirm
24. The Original Mattress Factory
25. The Container Store
26. Cost Plus World Market
27. Pier 1 Imports
However, most of these stores will be open on Black Friday.
Clothing, Specialty, and Grocery Stores
The following retail stores are closed on Thanksgiving:
28. T.J. Maxx
29. Christopher & Banks
30. Burlington
31. Dillard’s
32. Nordstrom
33. Office Depot/Office Max
34. Hobby Lobby
35. JOANN stores
36. Guitar Center
37. Marshalls
38. Petco
Note that most locations will be closed, but select stores may be open 5 pm – 10 pm.
39. Staples
40. Sierra Trading Post
41. Sportsman’s Warehouse
42. REI
Outdoor recreation giant REI will have all of its stores closed on Black Friday as well.
43. Kohls
Kohl’s will be closed for Thanksgiving 2022 – previously open on Thanksgiving Day.
44. Ulta
Ulta Beauty will be closed for Thanksgiving 2022 – previously open on Thanksgiving.
45. JC Penny
JC Penny will be closed for Thanksgiving 2022 – previously open on Thanksgiving.
Warehouse Club Stores
These club stores will be closed on Thanksgiving:
46. Sam’s Club
47. Costco
48. BJ’s Wholesale Club
Stores That Are Open on Thanksgiving
Didn’t see your favorite store on the list above? It might be open on Thanksgiving. While we can’t confirm every open store, we do have some larger chains listed here.
Here are the hours some popular stores are open on Thanksgiving.
Big Lots
Big Lots will be open from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Thanksgiving. They have over 1,400 locations across the United States.
Old Navy’s 1,100+ stores will open on Thanksgiving, primarily in the evening.
Macy’s
Despite falling on hard times, Macy’s still has over 500 store locations in the United States. They’ll open at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
Michael’s
Michael’s craft stores has over 1,200 locations. They’ll open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
Ulta Beauty
Ulta Beauty stores will open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving. They have over 1,200 stores in the United States.
Walgreen’s
Walgreens Pharmacy hosts generous store hours on Thanksgiving. Most stores will open by 8 a.m. that day.
This is a good thing since medicine is a necessity for many people. However, Walgreen’s also sells basic groceries at their 8,000+ store locations.
JCPenney
JCPenney stores host over 600 locations across the country. They’ll open at various hours based on location.
Cabela’s
Cabela’s will open its doors at 8 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
Their sister store, Bass Pro Shops, will be open on Thanksgiving Day as well.
Dollar General
Dollar General has over 15,000 locations. They’ll open at 7 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning. This is another place you can get some food items.
GameStop
GameStop, the popular gaming store, opens at 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving. They’ve got over 4,000 locations worldwide.
Dick’s Sporting Goods
Dick’s Sporting Goods opens at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving. They’ll stay open till 2 a.m. on Black Friday.
Then they’ll open again at 5 a.m.
Note that different locations may have varying hours. It’s best to call your local store ahead to confirm when they will be open.
Do You Live in a Thanksgiving-Affected “Blue Law” State?
Have you heard of “blue laws?” These are known as “Sunday laws,” too.
Blue laws ban the purchase of specific items on certain days. Most blue laws have been repealed in the United States.
For instance, states previously banned people from buying alcohol on Sundays. However, some states still have a portion of a blue law in effect.
In some states, their blue law pertains to Thanksgiving. Retailers in Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island can’t open on Thanksgiving.
However, there are some exceptions to the rule. As an example, Massachusetts allows the following to open:
- Pharmacies
- Restaurants
- Small food stores
- Gas stations
- Video rental stores
Most retailers on this list offer some type of necessity. After all, what are you supposed to do if you forgot to buy butter? That’s surely not acceptable on Thanksgiving.
But if you want to shop in-store in one of the three states mentioned above, you’re out of luck.
If you live in another state, you’ve got options. Additionally, there’s always online shopping.
Shop Online on Thanksgiving
Not all brick-and-mortar stores are open on Thanksgiving. However, that doesn’t stop internet sales. If you really want to beat the Black Friday rush, you can shop online.
Many retailers have Thanksgiving Day deals for online shoppers, too. If you want to get additional deals, check out these sites.
Rakuten
Rakuten has been giving cash back to online shoppers since 2008. They partner with over 2,500 stores to get you cash back.
Here are some examples of the rebates you can get with Rakuten:
- 8% cash back at Macy’s
- Up to 10% cash back at Walmart
- 3% cash back at Kohl’s
- Up to 5% cash back on Amazon
To get started with Rakuten, you can join the platform for free. They’ll even give you a $10 bonus if you register using the link above.
You can then shop at your favorite stores through the Rakuten portal.
Every purchase you make is assessed by Rakuten. They’ll credit your cash back amount to your Rakuten account.
Every three months, they’ll pay you via PayPal for your total due. Alternately, you can have them send you a check.
Rakuten works with in-store purchases, too. Simply link your credit card to your Rakuten account.
When you shop at a member store, your cash back is automatically sent to your account.
You might be wondering why they give you cash back for shopping and how they make their money. The concept is simple.
Stores give Rakuten a commission for sending customers their way. Rakuten then splits the commission with you, the buyer. It’s a good deal for everyone.
Swagbucks
Similar to Rakuten, Swagbucks will give you cash back for shopping. They have a $10 signing bonus as well.
As with Rakuten, you have to shop through the Swagbucks portal to earn cash back.
Some of the store offers they have include:
- 8% cash back at JCPenney
- Up to 10% cash back at Amazon
- 5% cash back at Macy’s
- Up to 10% cash back at Walmart
Swagbucks partners with hundreds of stores to get you cash back. Just shop through the Swagbucks portal when you buy.
Swagbucks will pay you for other tasks as well, including:
- Taking surveys
- Playing games
- Watching videos
- Searching the web
- Referring friends to join
You’ll get paid SB points for these activities. SB points can be used to get PayPal cash or free e-gift cards.
However, shopping online is the best way to earn money with Swagbucks.
Other Ways to Save Money While Shopping
Besides cash back offers, there are other ways to save while shopping. Consider these ideas.
Watch the Ads
Some Black Friday “deals” are nothing more than hype. Watch the ads in the weeks before Thanksgiving and check prices.
You may find a better deal before or after Thanksgiving.
Use Apps
It’s possible to use apps to find deals or get rebates when you shop. One great option for this is Ibotta.
The Ibotta app will help you find discounts and coupons you can use when shopping. Simply download the app to get started.
You can also try other apps like Ibotta if you want to save money while you shop.
Pay Cash
Paying with cash can help you avoid paying interest when you shop. Loans and credit cards can come with hefty interest rates, so buying with cash could save you money.
Use the cash envelope system when you plan your spending. That way, you can set aside money for gift purchases all year. Just divide your gift-giving costs by 12.
Put cash in the gift envelope each month. Use your budget to know how much to save every month.
If you’re not accustomed to budgeting, paying with cash will take some work. You’ll have to retrain your mind to get used to living within a budget.
Budgets can seem restrictive, and it can be tough putting spending limits on yourself. In reality, budgets offer you freedom.
They help you free up more cash for money goals that are important to you. You just need to know why budgeting is important.
Buy Off-Season
Another way to save money is to buy off-season. Purchase clothes a year in advance. Hit the clearance rack and buy a size too big for your growing kids.
Buy summer necessities at the end of July or August and winter necessities in January. This includes Christmas gifts.
Do your Christmas shopping all year round. Don’t wait until Thanksgiving or Black Friday. By shopping super early, you can save money.
Think about your gift-giving list as you shop throughout the year.
Summary
While there’s something nostalgic and comforting about seeing stores closed on Thanksgiving, it is nice to be able to access the essentials if needed.
We’ve covered most of the big-name stores here, but if there are any local shops you think you might need on Thanksgiving Day, be sure to call ahead to find out if they will be open.
