What will be open, closed in Phoenix area on Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving, a federal holiday that takes place every fourth Thursday in November, is one of the most popular holidays in the U.S., also known for the widespread business shutdowns that precede the big store crowds that form the following day on Black Friday.
Those preparing in advance for the long weekend should know which of their favorite restaurants will be closed, which grocery stores to shop at for a priority purchase and which errands should wait for later.
Here's a guide for what can be expected to be open and closed on Thanksgiving Day in metro Phoenix.
What is open on Thanksgiving Day?
On Thursday, patrons can expect some establishments to remain open, but it's important to note that most stores will likely have reduced operating hours.
Most stores' adjusted hours of operation can be found on Google Maps, Apple Maps, Yelp, or at stores' websites.
Grocery stores: Fry's, Albertsons, Safeway, Wholefoods and Sprouts announced that all will open under adjusted operating hours.
Pharmacies: CVS and Rite Aid announced both will maintain their usual hours on Thanksgiving. However, all 24-hour CVS stores were expected to close early.
Retail chains: Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's, Kmart and various dollar stores were expected to be open on Thanksgiving Day.
Restaurants: Local favorites like Cala, Sol Mexican Cocina and Zinc Bistro announced all will be open on Nov. 23. You can find a full list of restaurants that will be open on Thanksgiving Day here.
What is closed on Thanksgiving Day?
In 2023, more stores were expected to be closed on Thanksgiving Day, a stark contrast to several years ago when shoppers were finishing Thanksgiving dinner early so they could get to the mall or other stores for a jump on Black Friday sales. Consumer behaviorist Katherine Cullen told USA TODAY more retailers were expected to close on Thanksgiving as a nod to a change in consumer habits as Black Friday and Cyber Monday-focused online sales continue to rise in importance.
As of 2018, almost half of the large retailers monitored by The Arizona Republic chose to close on Thanksgiving. However, there has been a trend toward more closures, reflecting retailers' growing consideration for employee preferences in a competitive job market.
Here's a roundup of the stores, restaurants and offices expected to be closed on Thursday.
Store chains: Target, Walmart, Best Buy, J.C. Penney and Kohl's said all will remain closed this year on Nov. 23. The latter four were open on Thanksgiving Day in 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused the vast majority of retailers to close on Thanksgiving.
Grocery stores: Trader Joe's and Costco announced they will be closed on Thanksgiving.
Banks: Most banks will be closed on Thanksgiving. Branches of Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Capital One, Citibank, PNC, Truist and more will not open their branches on Thursday, the companies told USA TODAY.
Post offices: The U.S. Postal Service said it won't be delivering any mail on Nov. 23 and retail will not be available, the agency told USA TODAY.
Delivery companies: Both UPS and FedEx stores were also expected to close on Thanksgiving this year. Both companies also announced neither will be delivering packages on Thursday.
Pharmacies: Walgreens announced on Nov. 16 that it made the decision for the first time this year to close most of its stores on Thanksgiving. Walgreens' 24-hour locations will remain open "to meet the healthcare needs of our customers," the company said.
Government offices: All nonessential federal and state government offices typically close on Thanksgiving Day.
Skip the turkey: These Latino restaurants in Phoenix offer a different Thanksgiving feast
Banks were expected to return to normal operation hours and all mail delivery and retail services were expected to resume on Friday.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Stores expected to close or reduce hours on Thanksgiving in Phoenix
