Closed for Thanksgiving; Stores Opting Out Of Black Friday Sales

Closed for Thanksgiving & Black Friday

The week of Thanksgiving has become more and more important to the U.S. economy, but many companies have opted out and closed their doors on turkey day. Laws in Massachusetts, Maine, and Rhode Island, mandate that all large supermarkets, big box and department stores are closed for the holiday, but a few companies have decided to go farther and announced that they will be closed the day after as well.

Recreation Equipment Inc. (REI), a consumer co-operative based in Kent, Washington, has once again led the movement and will close all 149 of their locations on both Thanksgiving and “Black Friday,” while still paying more than 12,000 employees for the vacation. Like most movements in 2016, opting out of “Black Friday” comes with a hashtag.

#OptOutside, created by REI, came with the message of exploring the outdoors with loved ones instead of buying them presents. This year, according to their website, 1.9 million consumers have promised to #OptOutside instead of shopping. In addition to REI, another Washington state apparel and gear company, Outdoor Research, will close their doors on both Thanksgiving and “Black Friday” as well.

If you plan on braving the crowds this Holiday season, here are some tips to keep you safe while shopping.

Retailers Not Participating in Black Friday

Stores like Macy’s are open for longer hours this Thanksgiving (Macy’s opens at 5 p.m. and closes at 2 a.m. then reopens for “Black Friday” at 6 a.m.), but the 35 stores below will be closed for the entire day so that their employees can spend the holiday with their families:

1. A.C. Moore
2. American Girl
3. Barnes & Noble
4. BJ’s Wholesale Club
5. Burlington
6. Chico’s
7. Costco
8. Crate and Barrel
9. Dillard’s
10. DSW
11. GameStop
12. Guitar Center
13. Hobby Lobby
14. Home Depot
15. Home Goods
16. IKEA
17. Jos A. Bank
18. Lowe’s
19. Mall of America
20. Marshalls
21. Neiman Marcus
22. Office Depot
23. OfficeMax
24. Outdoor Research
25. P.C. Richards
26. Patagonia
27. PetSmart
28. Pier 1 Imports
29. Publix
30. Raymour and Flanigan
31. REI
32. Sam’s Club
33. Staples
34. The Container Store
35. T.J. Maxx