Stores Closed on Thanksgiving Day in 2021

What stores are open on Thanksgiving? With some retailers closing for Thanksgiving again, find out what this means for Black Friday shoppers in 2021.

For the better part of a decade, major retailers (Walmart, Target, Kohl's, others) kick off their in-store Black Friday sale on Thanksgiving Day. The tradition hasn't been without controversy, but it seemed it was a tradition that was here to stay - until COVID-19, that is.

In 2020, crowds became a public health threat, making in-store shopping riskier for consumers. Coupled with the push-back businesses faced about employee safety, it was no surprise major retailers were quickly announcing they would close their doors on Thanksgiving Day.

Although the pandemic was clearly the impetus, some retailers framed their decision as a gift to frontline employees who had worked hard all year. A handful of retailers did remain open, including pharmacies, grocery stores and other essential stores. Closing stores in 2021 appears to be retailers' response to the positive feedback they received from consumers and holiday shoppers last year.

We expect the list of Thanksgiving holiday closures to continue growing, so check back for those announcements, store hours and Black Friday shopping details.

Stores closed on Thanksgiving Day in 2021

Most retailers are staying quiet about their plans for Black Friday and any Black Friday sales. Whether stores will remain open for regular hours, offer limited-capacity Black Friday events or close entirely on Thanksgiving remains to be seen.

These retailers have announced their holiday shopping plans for Thanksgiving 2021:

Academy Sports + Outdoors

Thanksgiving hours: Closed

Black Friday hours: 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Quietly adding an update to their website, Academy Sports + Outdoors has made it official that will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. But unlike other retailers, they posted their Black Friday shopping hours. If you're shopping for a sports enthusiast of any kind, you can get started at Academy on Black Friday at 5 a.m. until 11 p.m. The retailer will offer specific Black Friday deals closer to the big day.

Bed Bath & Beyond

Thanksgiving hours: Closed

Black Friday hours: TBD

Bed Bath & Beyond announced on June 28 that it plans to "close stores on Thanksgiving Day so that Associates can be with friends and family during the important holiday," according to the statement. The retailer didn't provide specific Black Friday details but said it will offer "great deals and inspiring products" in the lead up to Thanksgiving Day. More to come.

Best Buy

Thanksgiving hours: Closed

Black Friday hours: TBD

Best Buy has been a fixture in the open-on-Thanksgiving club for years now -- but it closed last year. And it will again this year. In a statement to USA TODAY, it announced it would be closed again this year on Thanksgiving Day, but that there will be more ways "for customers to easily and conveniently get their holiday shopping done, over the Black Friday weekend and throughout the entire holiday season."

BJ's Wholesale Club

Thanksgiving hours: Closed

Black Friday hours: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

According to BJ's store hours, the wholesale club will be closed again on Thanksgiving Day and re-open on Black Friday starting at 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. These are its regular store hours but stores are staying open one extra hour on Saturday. Last year, BJ's officially announced an early start to its Black Friday sales last October, so we expect more details are on the way for Black Friday 2021.

Boscov's

Thanksgiving hours: Closed

Black Friday hours: TBD

Boscov's joins other retailers in announcing this year's Thanksgiving Day plans early. The department store will close its stores in hopes “that closing on Thanksgiving Day once again becomes an industry tradition allowing our co-workers the ability to enjoy an uninterrupted Thanksgiving Day with their families,” according to chairman and CEO Jim Boscov. Boscov's latest holiday plans deviate little from its Thanksgiving Day closure in 2020 and reduced hours in 2019.

Dick's Sporting Goods

Thanksgiving hours: Closed (stores and distribution centers)

Black Friday hours: TBD

The outdoor and sporting goods retailer traditionally opens on the evening of Thanksgiving, but has announced it will once again be closed on Thanksgiving Day in 2021. In the news release, it said that "stores will reopen on Black Friday (Nov. 26) to serve customers with in-store, curbside contactless pickup and BOPIS options."

Foot Locker

Thanksgiving hours: Closed (stores and distribution centers)

Black Friday hours: TBD

Foot Locker will close its stores and warehouses again on Thanksgiving Day this year, the company announced on June 14. In a statement, Foot Locker CEO, Frank Bracke said, "Our team members have worked incredibly hard to exceed our customer's expectations under extraordinary circumstances. We want to acknowledge their hard work and commitment to our customers, their communities, and one another."

We'll update more when Foot Locker announces its official holiday hours, but their current plan is to open stores on Black Friday between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. local time.

Kohl's

Thanksgiving hours: Closed

Black Friday hours: TBD

On June 17, Kohl's company announced its plans to close for the second year in a row on Thanksgiving Day. The retailer said the decision came because of the "positive response from last year's closure on Thanksgiving Day, as well as evolving preferences in how and when customers want to shop during the holiday season."

We'll update as soon as Kohl's announces its holiday hours, including hours for Black Friday week.

Target

Thanksgiving hours: Closed

Black Friday hours: TBD

Confirmed in a January 13 statement, Target said that last year, "guests loved our new approach so much that we’ve already decided to carry one change forward." To that end, all Target stores will again be closed on Thanksgiving Day.

Walmart

Thanksgiving hours: Closed (Sam's Club locations, too)

Black Friday hours: TBD

Walmart is the third retailer to announce that it will be closed on Thanksgiving Day again this year. It positioned its decision as a thank-you to its employees "for their continued hard work during the pandemic."

Stores closed on Thanksgiving Day in 2020

Some retailers are traditionally closed on Thanksgiving Day, while others decided to close for the first time in years in 2020. These retailers were all closed last year, but haven't made an official announcement in 2021: