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November 10, 2009

Black Friday: Walmart to open 24 hours on Thanksgiving to prepare for crowds

walmart black fridayWhat are your plans after eating that big meal on Thanksgiving Day?

 How about a couple of laps around Walmart?

The world's largest retailer will be open for 24 hours Thanksgiving Day to help ease crowds who line up for its Black Friday specials, spokesperson E.R. Anderson said today. The doorbusters won't be available until 5 a.m.

Walmart is looking at ways to ease crowds after a security guard was trampled to death at a Long Island store Black Friday last year.

JCPenney also said yesterday that it will open at 4 a.m. on the day after Thanksgiving. Its stores will open 8 a.m. the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

(Baltimore Sun file photo)

Posted by Andrea Walker at 4:13 PM | | Comments (18)
Categories: Holiday shopping
        

Comments

This is just one more way for corporate American to squeeze Americans out of yet another holiday designed for families and friends to come together. Thanksgiving is one of the few times a year where people really come together anymore.

Rather than opening Walmarts for 24 hours on Thanksgiving, a better solution would be to implement a better security and crowd control system for Black Friday.

The reality is that Walmart doesn't want to lose a day for sales.

Wow!! Walmart opening on Thanksgiving Day. Walmart is all about the almighty dollar and have no respect for the employees of the company opening on a day of Thanksgiving. Can't anyone wait to get a bargin toaster until the day after. Shame on you Walmart!!!!

so when do the employees enjoy their thanksgiving dinner

How about the "employees" educate themselves and get a better job if they don't want to work on thanksgiving. I can't believe you people think Walmart employees are above working a holiday unlike thousands of other people in public service.

I'm sure the employees who need the money, which is probably why they work at Walmart in the first place, will adjust their schedules accordingly and appreciate the holiday pay.

Yep, because obviously there can be no reason for a person to work at Walmart with so many job options available to people today. And definitely not "employees" who are in the process of receiving their education and have to work at places like Walmart, one of the few places that will actually work with a college schedule. You're absolutely right, everyone working there is obviously uneducated and works there because they fail at life. But Ben here definitely doesn't fail at life, because he's so open-minded and unbiased. That stellar education you got there is just shining through! Indeed I am blinded by the sheer magnificence of your insight!

I long for the days when the only business that was open on weekends and hollidays were the hospitals and police departments, the fire departments and their support staff as well as the government regulated parks (which is the business that I am in) when families knew who they were and acted as thoughthey were a family and spent time together with no thought of abandoning their family.

Why is it that families do not spend time as families - is there so much else to do or are we so hardened against the institution of families that it does not matter at all.

I work every weekend and holliday so that you can have a nice place to spend your "off " time (and do not like it but it is required in my profession) so please give employees time off on at least hollidays so that they at least have an option.

Walmart is not the only store open on Thanksgiving. Recently saw a store circular that reported that Old Navy will also be open at 12pm on Thanksgiving day.

Walmart is not the only store open on Thanksgiving. I recently saw a store circular that reported that Old Navy will also be open at 12pm on Thanksgiving day.

Yea, it is a tradition in our family to start x-mas shopping on turkey day.. Alot of us have to work the day after turkey day. All the ladies of my family hit the stores right after have a great dinner.

Kmart has been open on Thanksgiving for years.

I am sure the employees get Thanksgiving as a PAID holiday - plus they better be getting time and 1/2.

I go to my local Walmart so much - some of those people are like family.

Kmart has been open on Thanksgiving for years.

I am sure the employees get Thanksgiving as a PAID holiday - plus they better be getting time and 1/2.

I go to my local Walmart so much - some of those people are like family.

Umm people!!
Walmart employees do get a dinner served to them on Thanksgiving day.
I enjoy the food very much.

I had to work at Kmart for Thanksgiving a while ago and now my current husband has to work at Walmart this day. He said they are having 'dinner' for employees, well how about the families? Are we going to get to eat with our family member right there? I'd already made plans with my late husband's family for lunch. My late husband was a teacher, my husband works in TLE, nothing to do with putting up sales for black friday. I'm irked.

The truth is the world is different now. People live away from home and don't go back for a two day Thanksgiving holiday. In my case, I am seperated and my family doesn't get together until Friday. So the typical "family structure" in America is DONE. People are off on Thanksgiving but don't have anywhere to go. So what better to do but to shop? Thus stores likes Walmart aren't big companies who do horrible things, they are big because they do things that provide social services.

I work at Wal-Mart and attend college; can not go home because we are open Thanksgiving. The holiday pay just doesn't make up for losing out on going home. Most of the people I work with at our store wish they could be off for Thanksgiving, but can not afford to lose their jobs, so go figure.

I would just like to say to all customers going to Wal-Mart on Thanksgiving; most of the employees will still continue to be helpful and polite, but if they had a choice, they would be home with their families.

I reading some of these posts I really can't believe what I complaining country we have become. How about the thousands of brave men and women serving in our military that are thousands of miles away from home on this holiday season. The ones who put themselves in harms way that enable you to have the right to complain about something as trivial as this. Just something else for you to chew on while you are safe at home.

There are plenty of well educated people who have to work on the holidays too. Doctors, nurses, police officers, firemen, and do on. Do you get the picture? And because I am a medical technologist I get to work the holidays too. This year it's 4ht of July, Labor Day weekend. The weekend before and after Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Eve. Last year I even had to work Christmas Day and at least Walmart is closed then.

Seriously guys?

I consider myself fortunate to be able to work tonight. We get time and a half. They give us a free thanksgiving dinner. It's not like we're working 24 hrs; I still get to see my family. There are far worse jobs out there; I'm sick of being treated like
I'm helpless and need you all defending me.

I'll see you all at 5 am.

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