Dive Brief:
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Saying it is an “associate friendly” company, TJX, which operates T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and Home Goods stores and the Sierra Trading Post website, announced it will remain closed on Thanksgiving. BJ's Wholesale also said it will be closed that day.
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Meanwhile, Sears and Kmart stores, both run by Sears Holding Corp., announced their earliest and most extensive Thanksgiving hours ever.
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Sears stores will open at 6 p.m. Thanksgiving Thursday, while Kmart will open at 6 a.m. that day and remain open for 42 hours without closing — an hour longer than their similar move last year.
Dive Insight:
Retailers appear keen to get a handle on the holidays this year, and Thanksgiving hours are looking like a significant part of that. But some retailers, like Costco, Nordstrom, Gamestop, BJ's Wholesale, and now the TJX companies, are taking the position that staying closed is important for the sake of the holiday, and, notably, for the sake of their employees.
As the issue of working conditions of retail employees edges increasingly into the spotlight, staying closed on Thanksgiving could be a potent way to show concern for workers. And that comes with little cost: studies show that Thanksgiving sales don’t boost Black Friday sales, but simply spread them out.