Should stores be closed on Thanksgiving?

[daugen]

How Black Friday ate Thanksgiving and destroyed itself - Fortune Management

it is utterly amazing how the pursuit of greater profits has changed our marketplace, and from my standpoint,
not for the better. Some traditions may become outdated, but the tradition of family gathering on Sunday and for those
with faith in a higher being, a special day for many of them too.

I remember when almost nothing was open on Sundays except for the gas stations, and some of them were closed too.
We all seemed to survive just fine.

Thanksgiving has always been a time when families got together, kids came home, relatives came over, and
everyone eats and drinks too much and always debate whether it's better or worse to take a walk now...
Me? I let the others walk and i got the good seat by the fireplace.:thumbsup:

I never minded when they started Christmas carols on the radio a week before Thanksgiving. Got you in the mood, reminded you of what was coming and all you had to do... But I really, really, really don't want to look at Christmas displays in September.

Some would say "what is sacred any more"? I don't know how to answer that any more.

 

[Buppies]

Welcome to capitalism gone wild, but people hold the key if they don't go stores won't open. One local radio station has been playing only Christmas music since November first.

 

[avillahdw]

I agree with daugen. Without turning this into a diatribe, we can all see that society has been convinced/manipulated into the belief that material possessions will bring happiness. Why are billions spent by consumers on Black Friday? To have the latest and greatest at a "bargain". I am a retailer, having owned our hardware store for 14 years now. We have never been open on the "major" holidays nor Sundays. The gentleman that I purchased my store from had owned it for 45 years previously and taught me the business when I went to work for him out of college. The one thing that he said that has stuck with me is "You can run the store or the store can run you". I have tried to follow this simple statement. Could I make more money by being open on holidays and Sundays? Yes, no doubt about it. But because I run my business according to the stated principle, I make a good living and provide my employees with a good living all the while being closed on days when many business models say I should be open. Ever heard of a little restaurant called Chick-Fil-A? Further proof that a business can be run on biblical principles, be successful, honor God and take care of their employees. As our society moves farther away from "traditional" values, we will also move away from these time honored traditions that many of us hold dear. To be open on Thanksgiving? I choose not to because my family is more important than the dollar!

 

[3v0]

I have been hearing that the world is going to h*ll in a handbasket since before I was old enough to understand what it meant. I try not to get too worked up over it. Mind my own Ps and Qs sort of thing. Let others raise their blood pressure over something they can't change.

As I see it in part we don't like change, good or bad. On the other hand one would have to be blind and deaf not to see the money shrinking and our standard of living on the decline. We adjust, all the better if we can do that without getting too worked up.

 

[CobyRupert]

The problem is it's hard to mind your own P's & Q's when your employer says "Leave your family and work on Thanksgiving Day or else." You're sort of involved at that point.

Anyone who shops on Thanksgiving Day should be shamed by the rest of us who still have an ounce of values left.

 

[3v0]

The problem is it's hard to mind your own P's & Q's when your employer says "Leave your family and work on Thanksgiving Day or else." You're sort of involved at that point.
.

If you really don't like it vote with your feet and quit. Yeah, I never liked that advice either. But you still have the choice about how worked up you get over it.

 

[dave1949]

I don't like it and I don't shop on holidays.

The main problem I see with it the impact it has on people's ability to maintain strong family and friendship ties, or to spend quality time with children. We're becoming a bunch of drones.

 

[daugen]

Having owned several small business, including an insurance agency, we were always closed on Sundays, always closed on major holidays. But we would sure work right up to 6pm on Christmas eve in the electronics shop. What a day Christmas Eve is to a store that is basically an adult toy store, and last minute shoppers were amazingly grateful we had what we had. And then I sent everyone home with a gift and sometimes they had the next day off too.

I'm not worked up here. Really. But I am curious as to how others feel. Do you want your John Deere dealer open on Thanksgiving so you can do an oil change before the big dinner? Harbor Freight will sure be open, they give you five percent more to come in on a holiday.

The line is moving, I understand that. Just don't know when and where it should stop, but since I'm already
uncomfortable with what we have now, I'd say we've passed the line where I would stop.

 

[Midniteoyl]

I don't like it and I don't shop on holidays.

The main problem I see with it the impact it has on people's ability to maintain strong family and friendship ties, or to spend quality time with children. We're becoming a bunch of drones.

Main problem I have is with the sheer amount of idiots out there.. Almost every time I have been talked into going somewhere on a holiday, something bad has happened - like getting the car smashed.

Black Friday prices only tell me that that price will be the new price point for that item real soon anyways.. And that the retailer is willing to go down even farther later in the year..

 

[dave1949]

Main problem I have is with the sheer amount of idiots out there.. Almost every time I have been talked into going somewhere on a holiday, something bad has happened - like getting the car smashed.

Black Friday prices only tell me that that price will be the new price point for that item real soon anyways.. And that the retailer is willing to go down even farther later in the year..

Not only that, a lot of us here are beyond the age where the newest whatever is very exciting and our consumption of retail goods is declining. The marketing aimed at us is 90% about medical issues.

 

[daugen]

Main problem I have is with the sheer amount of idiots out there.. Almost every time I have been talked into going somewhere on a holiday, something bad has happened - like getting the car smashed.

Black Friday prices only tell me that that price will be the new price point for that item real soon anyways.. And that the retailer is willing to go down even farther later in the year..

you can just see all those cars circling around in those vast parking lots, looking for an opening.
And sooner, or later, somebody is going to back right into you without paying attention. It's like running a gauntlet
of bad drivers, some of whom are rude and inconsiderate, regardless of the holiday cheerfulness...

I've learned to do most of my shopping online. No crowds, no dents, no hassle. But I always walk the local mall before
Christmas, just to see the decorations and maybe see a Santa with kids. It really gets me "in the spirit".
And it's fun to people watch too.

 

[3v0]

Not only that, a lot of us here are beyond the age where the newest whatever is ?NOT? very exciting and our consumption of retail goods is declining. The marketing aimed at us is 90% about medical issues.

Sad but so true.

EDIT: We live in a little town so also use online shopping a lot. Love amazon prime shipping deal. Most stuff is here in 2 or 3 days.

 

[avillahdw]

Not that this is intended to stray from the thread, but I think the crux of this (and many others like it) is that as our world is changing in ways we may disagree with, how do we deal with those changes? We all probably have certain values, traditions, beliefs, etc that we want to see carried on by our families and it disturbs us when they are eroded by numerous things, whether societal, economic, political (and on and on). As previous poster said, we tend to be resistant to change (albeit we generally readily accept what we perceive as being change for the good). If we want to see those things that are important to us preserved, the best we can do is to instill to those about us by both our words and example why we hold these beliefs. But in the end, they will choose whether these things live on. As I grow older (and hopefully wiser although I sometimes wonder about that ), I am starting to understand some if the things my parents faced with their generation. The trash heap of history is filled with both fads and traditions that were once held dear but are now relegated to distant memories. I believe that you stand for what you believe in, live accordingly and die happily knowing you did what you felt to be right.

 

[daugen]

I believe that you stand for what you believe in, live accordingly and die happily knowing you did what you felt to be right.

very nicely said. :thumbsup:

 

[EddieWalker]

I like the idea that there are so many people who get excited about Black Friday and look forward to it every year. While it's not for me and I've never cared for shopping, I'm a big supporter of being able to do what makes you happy. If business can make money, then they can pay employees and people have jobs, so I'm all for that too!!! In fact, if opening on Thanksgiving day will allow employees to make money that they didn't have otherwise, I'm all for that too.

My girlfriend is a manager at one of the big hospitals in town and she has well over a hundred nurses that work for her. The hospital is open every holiday, all day and night long. None of them are complaining about working Thanksgiving. They know it's coming and they plan their family time around their work time.

Eddie

 

[CobyRupert]

If you really don't like it vote with your feet and quit. Yeah, I never liked that advice either. But you still have the choice about how worked up you get over it.

I think the welfare rolls indicate a lot of people have.

 

[daugen]

Eddy, you are right, and any soldier, fireman, policeman, electrical lineman, whatever knows that when you are an
emergency responder, or a doctor or nurse, holidays always have to be covered. 24/7/365 is SOP. But do shopping services still need to be provided on that basis?

I'm going to spend Thanksgiving with my family and the very last thing I am thinking about is shopping that day.
And I'm perfectly cool with you heading to Harbor Freight for an extra 5% off.
And I'm delighted you have the freedom to do so.

 

[EddieWalker]

I feel the single biggest reason for unemployment being somewhere around 14% and a stagnant economy for the last decade is because of government telling business what they can and cannot do. Too much government and too many people not involved with that business thinking they know more then the business on what they should be doing has forced them to slow down and protect their interests. This results in not expanding or investing in themselves. Who would take a long term risk when you don't know what the rules are going to be tomorrow?

I say let business do what it wants and if you don't like it, shop elsewhere. I like Walmart and I shop there all the time. They are one of the biggest employers in the area and they are always open. If I want something, I know they are going to have it. Somebody is doing a pretty good job there and I'm not gonna complain if they want to make themselves available for customers to shop on a holiday. In fact, I'm all for it, even thought I don't plan on being one of those shoppers. Same with Sears, Lowes, Kohls, Verizon and every restaurant out there that wants to be open along with all the other business's out there.

Eddie

 

[dave1949]

How would someone have money to spend on a holiday that they wouldn't have on a non-holiday? That doesn't make any sense.

Retailers are zeroing in on people's free time, that's all that is happening. They know most folks are not working on a holiday, so why not entice them to spend some money? It's all marketing, albeit quite successful.

 

[brain55]

In all the discussions I've had about this, there is one thing that doesn't seem to get mentioned. I'm sure there are plenty of those employees that are happy for the extra day of pay. I know when I was struggling financially in my youth (before I had paid holidays) I hated that I was forced to take those days off, I was losing income that I needed especially right before the holidays.

Brian