You remember the chaos. It wasn't that long ago. We’d barely finish the last bite of pumpkin pie before someone started eyeing the clock, grabbing their keys, and heading out into the cold to stand in a line that wrapped around a Best Buy. It was a ritual. A weird, slightly aggressive, caffeine-fueled American tradition. But honestly? That version of the holiday is gone. Thanksgiving store closings have shifted from a "nice gesture" by a few retailers to an industry-wide mandate that has fundamentally changed how we spend the fourth Thursday of November.
It’s a massive shift.
If you’re looking for a place to buy a toaster or a new pair of jeans on Thanksgiving Day in 2025 or 2026, you’re basically out of luck at the big-box level. The landscape has flattened. What used to be a cutthroat race to open the doors at 5:00 PM on Thursday has turned into a unified front of locked doors and "Closed" signs. It’s not just about being "nice" to employees anymore; it's a cold, hard business calculation that changed the retail game forever.
The Walmart Effect and the End of the "Grey Thursday" Arms Race
For years, Walmart was the titan that dictated the tempo. If Walmart stayed open, Target had to stay open. If Target was open, Best Buy couldn't afford to be closed. It was a domino effect of retail anxiety. But everything broke in 2020. Because of the pandemic, the usual crowds were a liability, not an asset. Walmart CEO John Furner made the call to close on Thanksgiving to give associates time off, and the rest of the industry breathed a collective sigh of relief. They finally had an "excuse" to stop the madness.
And they never looked back.
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Walmart has since made this a permanent fixture of its operating model. You’ve got to realize how big of a deal that is. When the world's largest retailer decides to walk away from a day of physical sales, it signals that the overhead of staying open—security, electricity, holiday pay—simply doesn't justify the margin. Especially when they can just push everyone to the app.
Target followed suit almost immediately. Brian Cornell, Target’s CEO, was pretty blunt about it, eventually announcing that Target stores would stay closed on Thanksgiving for good. It wasn't a one-time thing. It’s the new DNA of the company. It’s funny how we used to think "Grey Thursday" was the future, but it turned out to be just a weird, decade-long blip in retail history.
Who is Actually Still Open?
Not everyone is locked up tight, though. You can’t exactly close the whole world. If you burn the turkey or run out of heavy cream, you aren't totally stranded, but your options are getting thinner every year.
Most major pharmacy chains like CVS and Walgreens keep their doors open, though often with reduced pharmacy hours. It makes sense. People still need prescriptions, even on holidays. Many grocery stores stay open for the morning rush—places like Wegmans, Kroger, and Albertsons usually let you grab those last-minute rolls until about 2:00 PM or 4:00 PM. But don't expect to go to Publix or Costco. They are notoriously strict about staying closed to let their teams stay home.
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Convenience stores are the real MVPs here. 7-Eleven, Wawa, and Sheetz basically never close. If you’re desperate for a bag of ice or a questionable hot dog at 8:00 PM on Thanksgiving, that’s your destination.
The Retail Giants That Stay Dark
- Walmart: Permanently closed on the holiday.
- Target: Permanently closed on the holiday.
- Costco: Always closed on major holidays.
- Best Buy: No more midnight doorbusters.
- Macy’s: The parade happens, but the store stays shut.
- Kohl’s: Joined the "closed" club and hasn't left.
- Home Depot and Lowe’s: They figure you aren't starting a deck project on Thanksgiving.
The Logistics of the Digital Pivot
Retailers realized something crucial: they don't need you in the store to take your money. The "closing" of physical stores is a bit of a misnomer because the digital storefront never sleeps. In fact, most of those "Black Friday" deals now go live on Monday or Tuesday of Thanksgiving week.
According to data from Adobe Analytics, Thanksgiving Day online spending has continued to climb even as physical stores close. Consumers are sitting on their couches, scrolling through deals on their phones while the football game plays in the background. It's more efficient for the stores, too. Shipping from a warehouse or a "dark store" (a retail location closed to the public but used for fulfillment) is often cheaper than staffing a full retail floor with seasonal workers who would rather be eating stuffing.
There’s also the labor market to consider. Finding people willing to work on a holiday has become increasingly difficult and expensive. With the rise of "labor activism" and a general shift in what workers expect from their employers, forcing staff to work Thanksgiving is a PR nightmare that most brands want to avoid. It’s bad for morale, and in 2026, employee retention is a much bigger headache than missing out on one day of foot traffic.
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Why This Matters for Your Shopping Strategy
If you're still planning your holiday around a physical trip to the mall on Thursday night, you need to pivot. Fast. The best deals aren't happening at 10:00 PM in a parking lot anymore. They’re happening in your inbox.
Most retailers have moved to a "rolling" Black Friday model. Amazon starts their "Black Friday Week" nearly ten days early. This removes the "scarcity" factor that used to drive people into a frenzy. It’s much more controlled now. It’s less "Hunger Games" and more "optimized logistics."
Honestly, the biggest misconception is that you’re missing out by not being at a store. You’re not. Most "doorbusters" are now digital-only or are spread out over several days to prevent the very crowds that Thanksgiving openings used to court.
What to Do if You Actually Need Something
Look, things happen. Someone drops the wine. The dog eats the butter. If you find yourself needing a store on Thanksgiving, follow this hierarchy:
- Check the local pharmacy first. CVS and Walgreens are the most likely to be open late.
- Hit the grocery stores before noon. Most major chains (except Publix/Costco) will have a window of time in the morning.
- Gas stations are your last resort. They’ll have the basics, but you'll pay a premium.
- Avoid the malls entirely. Don't even bother driving there. You'll just find a dark parking lot.
The shift toward Thanksgiving store closings is one of the few times where corporate interests and worker well-being actually lined up. It’s a rare win-win. Retailers save on overhead and focus on high-margin e-commerce, while millions of workers get to stay home. The era of the midnight doorbuster is dead, and frankly, we're all probably better off for it.
Actionable Steps for the Holiday Weekend
- Download the apps early: If you’re hunting for a specific item at Walmart or Target, have their apps downloaded and your payment info saved by the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Digital inventory moves faster than physical stock ever did.
- Verify local grocery hours on Wednesday: Don't trust the general "open" status on Google Maps. Call your local Kroger or Safeway on Wednesday afternoon to confirm when they’re locking the doors on Thursday.
- Shift your "Black Friday" mindset to Monday: The deepest discounts on electronics often appear at the start of the week now. Waiting until Friday morning might actually mean missing the initial stock of the most popular items.
- Focus on Curbside: If a store is open on Friday, use curbside pickup to avoid the crowds. Most retailers have perfected this since 2020, and it saves you the stress of navigating the aisles.