IL Thanksgiving Store Closures 2019: Sam's, Costco, Burlington

ILLINOIS — Thanksgiving is for turkey, not for shopping.

So say more than 20 national retailers, including many in Illinois, that have already announced they will remain closed on Thanksgiving Day this year, according to BestBlackFriday.com, a website dedicated to tracking news and trends related to the Friday after Thanksgiving, traditionally the biggest shopping day of the year.

Among stores that will shutter on Turkey Day are Ace Hardware, Lowe’s and Office Depot, which according to the website are bucking a trend toward earlier openings and later closings during the family-centered November holiday.

“In the last decade or so, many retailers have expanded their Black Friday hours earlier and earlier each year. As a result, many major retailers open for business on Thanksgiving Day, specifically to get a head start on their competition,” noted the site. “But not all of them.”

Most customers apparently agree with the decision not to open.

A survey conducted by BestBlackFriday.com found 72 percent of polled consumers believe stores should be closed on Thanksgiving Day.

Here’s the most recently updated list of stores that will be closed on Thanksgiving in Illinois, according to the website:

• Ace Hardware
• Burlington
• Costco
• Guitar Center
• Hobby Lobby
• HomeGoods
• Lowe’s
• Marshalls
• Office Depot
• OfficeMax
• Petco
• REI
• Sam’s Club
• Sierra Trading Post
• Stein Mart
• T.J. Maxx
• True Value

The list will be continually updated through Nov. 28 as more stores confirm Thanksgiving Day closures.

A few states — Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine — go so far as to ban stores from opening on the holiday.

At BestBlackFriday.com, you can also see a list of stores that will be open on Thanksgiving.