It wasn’t that long ago that it was a given that retail malls, shopping outlets, strip malls, etc. would be empty on Thanksgiving Day. It is the busiest travel season of the year as families reunite for the holiday and share precious time together over a traditional turkey meal.
However, in the years since the federal policies in the 1990s compelled banks to lend money to credit unworthy borrowers which then gave rise to the very derivative investments that exploded into what is now know called the “2008 Banking Crisis”, retailers have struggled to stay in business. For right or wrong, a growing trend has emerged over the past three years to open up on Thanksgiving Day partially or even entirely.
It certainly encroaches on family time, but for some retailers it’s a matter of survival. Would workers prefer to enjoy one holiday at home and spend month’s unemployed in the Obama economy? Walmart, Target, BestBuy, and other retailers have given into the trend and remain open all day long. How, word is out that four retailers are bucking this trend and closing down entirely for the sake of their employees.
REI, American Girl, Burlington Coat Factory, and Dillard’s have announced they will close on Thanksgiving Day. In the case of Dillard’s, they explicitly stated they are doing it in the best interest of their employees. Some on the political Left criticize the United States for not mandating federal holidays be adhered to by the private sector.
They claim retailers often provide workers inconsistent hours which forces them to grab extra shifts as often as they can. Interestingly enough, the political Left turns a blind eye to how Obamacare is forcing a part-time hours onto workers who would prefer full-time work.