Target announces its stores will remain closed on Thanksgiving Day

July 28, 2020

NEW YORK (AP) – Target is joining Walmart in closing its stores on Thanksgiving Day, ending a decadelong tradition of jump-starting Black Friday sales.

The move, announced Monday, comes as stores are rethinking the Black Friday in-store door busters as they try to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which has seen a resurgence in a slew of states.

Target opened for the first time on Thanksgiving in 2011, joining other stores in launching Black Friday sales a day early and creating a new tradition of shoppers heading out to the stores after their turkey feast.

The bigger question still looms on how to handle Black Friday itself this year, which also draws huge crowds – and sales.