"Our home office, 206 clubs and three distribution centers will be closed, allowing our 25,000 dedicated Team Members the time they deserve to celebrate all that they are grateful for in the company of family and friends," Laura Sen, president and CEO of BJ's Wholesale Club.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As other major retailers jostle to offer the most tempting deals for holiday shoppers, some stores are just as adamant about keeping their doors closed on Thanksgiving.
BJ's Wholesale Club Inc., which employs 525 at six stores in Ohio, says it is joining Costco Wholesale Corp. in giving its employees Thanksgiving off.
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View full sizeBJ's employee Crystal Correia works at the Framingham, Massachusetts store in this AP file photo. BJ's Wholesale Club is giving all 25,000 of its workers Thanksgiving off. Starting Nov. 22, BJ's will offer its members all the fixings for their Thanksgiving feasts, as well as other in-club offers.
"Consistent with our company values, BJ's Wholesale Club will, once again, remain closed on Thanksgiving Day," Laura Sen, president and chief executive of BJ's Wholesale Club, said in an emailed statement. "To give our team a well-deserved holiday, our home office, 206 clubs and three distribution centers will be closed, allowing our 25,000 dedicated Team Members the time they deserve to celebrate all that they are grateful for in the company of family and friends."
Warehouses will reopen for Black Friday sales at 7 a.m. Nov. 28, with special deals on brand-name electronics, appliances and gifts.
BJ's, based in Westborough, Massachusetts, once did open on Thanksgiving -- in 2006 -- but has been closed every Turkey Day since.
Costo, with nine warehouses in Ohio, recently told the site ThinkProgress that, "Our employees work especially hard during the holiday season and we simply believe that they deserve the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving with their families. Nothing more complicated than that."
Costco, based outside Seattle, Washington, employs nearly 127,000 people at 468 warehouses in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
Sam's Club, the warehouse division of Walmart Stores Inc., said its 643 clubs, too, will be closed.
"On Thanksgiving Day, Sam's Club is giving members and associates the opportunity to spend time with their families," the nation's eighth largest retailer said via email.
"Members who enjoy shopping after the holiday meal can log onto SamsClub.com from the comfort of their couches and start finding deals Thursday, Nov. 27, with free standard shipping on Black Friday items." Stores will open at 7 a.m. on Black Friday.
Next Saturday, Nov. 15, Sam's Club is hosting a one-day Holiday Savings Celebration with special deals on technology, toys, apparel, jewelry and home goods, while supplies last, starting at 7 a.m.
Promotions include: a 60-inch Vizio Ultra High Definition Television for $998; Jawbone Up24 Wearable Technology for $69; a .96-Carat Total Weight diamond fashion pendant for $699; Hotel Luxury Reserve Collection 1,000-Thread Count sheet sets in king and queen sizes for $69.98; and a Frozen Karaoke Set with the full soundtrack for $69.86.
Employees of Walmart stores, on the other hand, will likely spend part of their Thanksgiving at work. The world's largest retailer, which last year kicked off its Black Friday doorbusters at 6 p.m., gave its 1 million U.S. workers who clocked in on Thanksgiving extra pay, a turkey dinner and 25 percent off a future purchase. It has not said what time those deals will start this year.
Among the locally owned stores that have never opened on Thanksgiving are: Heinen's Fine Foods and Playmatters Toys.
Playmatters Toys, with stores in Pepper Pike, Mentor, Solon and Cleveland's Shaker Square neighborhood, is instead celebrating Neighborhood Toy Store Day on Saturday, Nov. 8, with free crafts (reservations required), activities, game demonstrations and the winners of the Best Toys for Kids 2014.
Ten percent of the day's sales will benefit the nonprofit Children's Guild of Cleveland, which enriches the lives of children in Greater Cleveland via counseling services, art and music, camperships and summer activities.
Shopping Days Left Until Christmas