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Originally Published: Nov 22, 2018
Originally Published: Nov 22, 2018 Last Updated: Nov 26, 2018 7 min read
Holiday Shoppers Get An Early Start On Thanksgiving Day
Shoppers run into Target as it opens for "Black Friday" deals on Thanksgiving Day.
George Frey—Getty Images
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Are stores open on Thanksgiving this year? Like it or not — and there are people who feel strongly on both sides of the debate — there are indeed plenty of stores open on Thanksgiving Day 2018. Black Friday sales at these stores actually go live on Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 22), or sometimes even earlier, and the doorbusters and deals on TVs, tech, toys, and more are sure to draw crowds of shoppers.

Just how good are the deals on Thanksgiving and Black Friday? Well, there will absolutely be some great Black Friday deals all week long, especially on TVs, tech, kitchen appliances, and clothing. But considering that retailers offer the majority of their special promotions and low prices online as well as in the store, and that Amazon often matches the deals available at physical retailers, it's absolutely OK to stay home and shop online. Then again, some shoppers simply love the chaos and excitement of Black Friday — crowds, confusing pricing, and all.

So what stores open on Thanksgiving, and what are the holiday hours? The fact that there are Thanksgiving store hours at Walmart shouldn't be a surprise: Most Walmarts are open 24/7 even on many major holidays, including Thanksgiving. Target, Macy's, Sears, Kohl's, and JCPenney are among the other big stores open on Thanksgiving 2018 and offering Black Friday deals the day before Black Friday 2018 officially arrives.

In addition to the retailers below with Thanksgiving store hours, shoppers will find that big drugstore chains like Walgreens and Rite Aid are generally open on Thanksgiving. Convenience stores like 7-Eleven, Wawa, Cumberland Farms, and Sheetz are also typically open every day, including Thanksgiving and Christmas. Most supermarkets are open on Thanksgiving too, though they may have limited holiday hours.

(On the other hand, there's an even longer list of stores that will not open on Thanksgiving Day 2018 — which is Thursday, November 22. Among the stores closed on Thanksgiving are Costco, Nordstrom, Menards, Patagonia, Home Depot, Barnes & Noble, Office Depot, REI, and The Container Store.)

We have rounded up the retailers that are open on Thanksgiving this year, but please take note that the Thanksgiving store hours listed below apply to most (but not all) retail locations. Some states and localities have laws that prohibit certain kinds of businesses from opening on national holidays like Thanksgiving. So it's wise to call or look at your local store's Black Friday ad to check its Thanksgiving store hours — if indeed the store is open on Thanksgiving at all.

Biggest Stores Open on Thanksgiving Day

Best Buy

Most Best Buy stores open on Thanksgiving Day at 5 p.m. Black Friday deals and doorbusters available include 50% off Amazon Echo Dots, $280 off a KitchenAid mixer, and a Toshiba 43-inch Smart TV for $130. More Best Buy Black Friday deals go live at 8 a.m. on Friday, November 23.

JCPenney

JCPenney stores will open at 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day 2018, and the first shoppers will receive envelopes with a coupon inside that could be worth $10 off a $10 purchase, $100 off $100, or even $500 off $500. JCPenney stores will stay open through Thanksgiving into Black Friday, and won't close until 10 p.m. on Friday, November 23. Here's the JCPenney Black Friday ad listing the store's best deals for Thanksgiving and Black Friday 2018.

Kohl's

Kohl's opens at 5 p.m. on November 22 (Thanksgiving Day), and in addition to a huge lineup of Black Friday deals, shoppers get $15 Kohl's Cash for every $50 spent from November 19 to 23.

Kmart

Most Kmart stores open at 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving and don't close until midnight, before reopening the next day at 6 a.m. for Black Friday.

Macy's

Macy's is open at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, with loads of doorbusters, rebates, and discounts. Most Macy's stores stay open until 2 a.m. on Friday, November 23, and then Macy's Black Friday store hours start again at 6 a.m.

Sears

Sears will open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day 2018, and the Sears doorbusters include 55% off a Kenmore refrigerator and over 50% off DieHard industrial boots.

Target

Target stores open on Thanksgiving 5 p.m. in most locations and stay open until 1 a.m. on Friday, November 23. Stores open on Black Friday 2018 again at 7 a.m., with more deals going live. Here's the Target Black Friday ad to show you what's on sale.

Walmart

Most Walmart stores in the U.S. are open 24/7 even on most major holidays. So, yes, Walmart is open on Thanksgiving 2018. Walmart has already launched early Black Friday deals on some TVs and tech items, but many more of its Black Friday deals go live in stores at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.

More Stores Open on Thanksgiving 2018

Bass Pro Shops

Bass Pro Shops store hours on Thanksgiving Day are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Stores open again on Black Friday at 5 a.m.

Belk

Belk stores open on Thanksgiving at 4 p.m. and stay open until 1 a.m. on Black Friday, before closing for a few hours and reopening at 6 a.m.

Big Lots

Big Lots store hours on Thanksgiving are 7 a.m. to midnight.

Cabela's

Bass Pro Shops purchased Cabela's last year, and most Cabela's stores open on Thanksgiving at 8 a.m., though its special Thanksgiving and Black Friday deals go live in-store on Wednesday, November 21.

Dollar General

Dollar General's Thanksgiving store hours start at 7 a.m.

Dick's Sporting Goods

Dick's Sporting Goods stores open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.

Five Below

In general, Five Below store hours on Thanksgiving Day are 6 p.m. to midnight, and stores open on Black Friday at 8 a.m.

GameStop

GameStop stores are open on Thanksgiving Day 2018 starting at 3 p.m.

Gap

Most Gap stores open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving.

Hollister

Hollister stores generally open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day 2018.

Modell's

Thanksgiving store hours at Modell's Sporting Goods vary by location. Some stores open at 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving, others at 6 p.m. — and still other Modell's are closed on the holiday.

Old Navy

Old Navy's Thanksgiving store hours vary by location, but many stores open at 3 p.m. or 6 p.m. on Turkey Day.