Updated on Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023 at 10:45 a.m.
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, more stores are closing on Thanksgiving — and staying closed until the next morning for Black Friday.
These stores will be closed on Thanksgiving: Best Buy, DICK’s Sporting Goods, Hobby Lobby, Kroger, Walgreens, non-24 hour CVS, Home Depot, Kohl’s, Lowe’s, Marshalls, PetCo, Petsmart, Sam’s Club, Target, Walmart, Piglet Wiggly and Aldi.
Bridget Lambert, president of the West Virginia Retailers Association said this is part of a growing trend of stores to close on, and around the holidays since the pandemic.
“Traditionally, retailers have started closing more in the last three or four years,” Lambert said. “So yes, a lot of the larger retailers will be closed Thanksgiving Day. The grocery chains, some of them are open during the day, but will be closing early in the evening so that their employees will have time to spend with their families.”
Piggly Wiggly and Kroger will be open until 4 p.m. Twenty-four hour CVS’s will only be open until 5 p.m. Walgreens usual 24 hour pharmacy will be open with varied hours.
Lambert said this change is part of a cultural shift in attitudes about work life balance from major retailers.
“They certainly want to meet their customer demands, but also know the needs of their employees,” Lambert said.
Lambert said the trend has been on the rise, and she expects that it will continue into the future.