The battle lines are drawn…
Massive companies like Walmart, Best Buy, Kohls and McDonald’s have effectively declared war on Thanksgiving and, as Phillip Brown says, it’s up to consumers to sort things out. Either we given in and flood the store’s Black Thursday sales today – all but insuring they’ll not only continue in future years but grow – or we draw the line and hold off shopping until, you know, Black Friday.
The choice is ours, and Brown could not have laid it out more plainly.
With that in mind as I began my other Thanksgiving ritual – culling out and recycling the multitudinous ad inserts in my Lawrence Journal World and Kansas City Star newspapers – it came to me; that somewhere in those ads was the dividing line between the good merchants and the bad.
The good, being those respectful of the Thanksgiving holiday and the ritual of families gathering in thanks once a year; the bad being the corporations trampling on America’s most sacred holiday in the interest of getting their mitts on the almighty buck one extra day out of the year. One measly day, for crying out loud.
Look, I know this is hardly a scientific tally, but at least it’s a start.
And hey, why not reward the merchants who waited for Black Friday and punish those guilty of trampling on Thanksgiving?
Now on the tally:
FIRST THE BAD GUYS (BLACK THANKSGIVING)
Walmart Anybody surprised these cats are opening at 6 p.m. today?
K Mart Times are tuff but these greedy bastards are open from 7 p.m. until 3 a.m. How thoughtful of them towards their employees.
Michael’s The prefect thing for creative family types. Bail on Thanksgiving at 4 p.m. and shop until 2 a.m. I’m sure their employees are thanksful.
J.C. Penney These poor guys just trying to survive – and fighting a losing battle – however opening on Thanksgiving is hardly the answer. I ask you, what would J.C. Penney say?
Hastings I don’t know. It’s a video rental and book store, but opening at 1 p.m. pretty much kills their employees Thanksgivings.
Old Navy Opening from 7 p.m.Thanksgiving thru ALL DAY FRIDAY seems like cruel and unusual punishment
Family Dollar How much can you possibly save at a dollar store to make shopping on Thanksgiving worthwhile? Not enough!
Target Opening at 8 p.m. tonight; punish them by waiting until tomo.
Macy’s Opens at 8 p.m. tonight, right “after Thanksgiving Dinner,” their ad says. What BS.
Kohl’s Opens at 8 p.m. Thanksgiving. Who really needs to race to this boring retailer on a holiday?
Office Depot Do we really need to save $30 on an Apex tablet at 8 p.m. tonight? Hardly.
Sears Another dying, old school retailer like K Mart & Penney’s; opens today at 8 p.m. Let ’em die another day.
Bass Pro Open Thanksgiving; camp and fish someplace else
Microsoft Store Ad tries to obfuscate it, but website says store at Oak Park Mall opens tonight at 8 p.m. Think of it as the perfect excuse to finally buy that Apple computer you’ve always wanted…on Black Friday at 6 a.m. naturally.
Game Stop Opens at midnight tonight. Could be worse, but that’s still Thanksgiving night.
Shoe Carnival Open 6 p.m. to Midnight today. Seriously, who needs to buy shoes on Thanksgiving Day?
The Legends Opening at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving is hardly the stuff legends are made of. I say punish ’em.
NOW THE GOOD GUYS (BLACK FRIDAY)
Menards These guys know how to play the game – no Turkey Day store hours, Black Friday only. And they’re coming to Lawrence!
Sam’s Club: Ditto, Black Friday only starting at 7 a.m.
World Market: 7 a.m. Black friday only. Check ’em out.
HyVee Closed today for the holiday when they could obviously be raking it in.
Radio Shack Doors open at 8 a.m. Friday or online today. Give ’em a hand.
Home Depot Open 5 a.m. Friday. Kudos for emphasizing in their ads that they’re closed Thanksgiving
Petco Open Black Friday only. Take you mutt when you go.
Mattress Firm Open Black Friday only. Kudos to the mattress firm, but they already own Labor Day and Memorial Day – two out of three ain’t bad.
Olathe Fiat Black Friday only, for one of the hipper, more earth friendly rides going.
Sheplers Black Friday only, because who buys western wear on a family holiday anyway? That would be totally un-American.
McCarthy Chevy Black Friday only. Hey, Lauren know how to play the game!
Lowes’s Black Friday only; opening 5 a.m. Keeping up with Home Depot.
Nebraska Furniture Mart Even the evil empire is closed for Thanksgiving and opens at 6 a.m. Black Friday. Who needs Best Buy anyway, really?
Hancock Fabrics Opens 6 a.m. Friday. I mean, was anybody really palnning on going fabric shopping on Turkey Day?
Tractor Supply Co. Ditto for this company that I kinda never heard. Hey, at least they’re closed Thanksgiving
Academy Sports Brand new biz by Oak Park, closed today. Wise move.
Cabela’s Opens 5 a.m. Black Friday. Reward these guys with your Bass Pro biz.
La Z Boy Need one of these for the holidays? Then go for it, I guess, @ 9 a.m. Black Friday. But first a word of caution; remember what happened to the smartman on his recliner. Caveat emptor
******* ******* *******
Hey look you guys, sure this is a small step for mankind, but do we really want to see a great American holiday sold down the river by a bunch of greedy, corporate fat cats who otherwise remain unaccountable?
I could be wrong, but I think not.
So reward the businesses that stayed closed this holiday and send a message to the ones that opened.
