USA Today reported that on July 21, Walmart sent out a memo to employees signed by U.S. president and CEO John Furner announcing the change. “We know it’s been a trying year, and you’ve stepped up,” Furner wrote. “We want you to enjoy the day at home with your loved ones.“ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb As Black Friday deals have started to be introduced earlier and earlier, Thanksgiving itself has become a huge day for retailers. Walmart usually only closes for Christmas Day, and hasn’t closed all of its stores for the November holiday since the ’80s. In the memo, Furner credited a Walmart employee at one of its Round Rock, Texas stores, Kevin Carlyle, for suggesting giving workers the time off. Following in Walmart’s footsteps, Target published a blog post on July 27 stating they will be closing all stores on Thanksgiving and stretching out holiday deals to begin in October so customers can “shop safely and conveniently without worrying about missing out on deals that usually come later in the season.” The announcement acknowledged the pandemic, saying, “Historically, deal hunting and holiday shopping can mean crowded events, and this isn’t a year for crowds.” Additionally, Dick’s Sporting Goods put out a press release, also on Monday, announcing that their stores will also be closed on Thanksgiving. The closure also extends to the company’s Golf Galaxy and Field & Stream stores, as well as distribution centers. RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. Will these major chains making the call early, more closure announcements are likely to come. And as Thanksgiving inches closer, some stores may even keep their physical doors locked for Black Friday. Scott Rankin, principal and national consumer and retail strategy leader at KPMG US, told CNN, “With everything that’s going on, there may be no Black Friday at all. I can’t imagine retailers buying inventory to stock up for an event designed to pack hundreds of people into a store. There are so many risks to that.” For more on shopping during the pandemic, Walmart Says It Won’t Do This if You Contract COVID-19 in Its Stores.
