Target Stores Will Be Closed on Thanksgiving Moving Forward—but It Will Be Open on Black Friday
If part of your Thanksgiving routine includes a Target run to pick up any forgotten ingredients or get a jump start on your Black Friday shopping, you can kiss that tradition goodbye. The retailer just announced that it will no longer be open on Thanksgiving Day.
Target closed its doors last Turkey Day because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and had previously said it would remain closed on Thanksgiving this year as well, due to a shift in consumer spending habits. With this move, Target locations will never be open on Thanksgiving again.
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According to Target CEO Brian Cornell, the decision to close on Thanksgiving stemmed from the pandemic, but was also driven by Target employees who are eager to spend the holiday with their families, as well as "trust" that the retailer has built with consumers. Cornell, who visited seven Target outposts ahead of his announcement, wrote in a letter to the Target team, "Several times, I heard how thankful [employees] were that our stores would once again be closed on Thanksgiving. And I knew in that moment that I had an opportunity to send a signal of confidence in the agility we've developed as a team over the last couple of years."
Cornell pointed out that Target's string of holiday deals (not just Black Friday savings) has helped the Minnesota-based company earn money while also meeting consumer demand.
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After reiterating that Target stores will be closed this Thanksgiving, he added: "I'm making it official: we're going to keep our stores closed on future Thanksgivings too. What started as a temporary measure driven by the pandemic is now our new standard—one that recognizes our ability to deliver on our guests' holiday wishes both within and well beyond store hours."
Cornell also clarified that Target won't reinstitute Thanksgiving store hours "when the pandemic finally subsides." However, Target stores will be back in business on Black Friday, with many locations opening at 7 a.m. local time.
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Other retailers closed on Thanksgiving Day include Trader Joe's, Walmart, and Costco. If you have any last-minute cooking needs, you could always venture out to your local Whole Foods, Wegmans, or Kroger, as those stores are slated to be open. Check out this full list of retailers that are open (as well as those that are closed) on Thanksgiving Day for more information.
