Target, Walmart, Costco, and Home Depot are among the retail giants closing on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving. The turkey. The stuffing. The warm, welcoming love of your family as you surround each other and give thanks for everything you have. Oh, and the shopping too. Wait. Isn’t this supposed to be a holiday about thankfulness, and not about where you can get a new mattress for 60% off or the latest TV for one-third off the price that it normally is? If you’ve noticed that a growing number of stores are starting their Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving Thursday, you’re not alone. And plenty of people (shoppers and employees) don’t like it.
In response to this, some retailers are staying closed on Thanksgiving Day. Yep, that’s right. Those amazingly awesome deals are going to have to wait until Friday — giving employees a full day off. So instead of heading out to the mall, you may just need to stay home with your family.
photo: Heidi Finn via Unsplash
Which stores are waiting until Black Friday to open? There’s a growing list of stores that have full Thanksgiving closings, including:
Ace Hardware
Barnes & Noble
Bed, Bath & Beyond
Best Buy
BJ’s Wholesale
Costco
Dick’s Sporting Goods
Footlocker
Home Goods
Homesense
IKEA
Kohl’s
Macy’s
Marshall’s
Nordstrom
Nordstrom Rack
Petco
REI (with be closed both Thanksgiving and Black Friday)
Sam’s Club
Staples
Simon Property Group (U.S.’s biggest mall group)
Target
The Container Store
TJ Maxx
Walmart
Check with your favorite retailers before heading out to shop them on Thanksgiving Thursday.
Your kiddo’s next backyard summer-time bash is about to get better! BJ’s Wholesale Club has a triple land slip and slide—and it seriously ups the outdoor adventure ante.
The Banzai Triple Tag Racer Water Slide ($19.99) is everything your fam needs on a hot summer day. Whether your local pool isn’t open yet or you’re just on the hunt for a way to spend together-time with the kids outdoors, this slip and slide goes beyond what you might remember from your own childhood.
photo: BJ’s
The Triple Tag Racer is a 16-foot slip and slide with (as the name implies) three separate sliding lanes. Along with three long lanes, the slide also includes a triple-wide splash-landing pool with three water-filled blast pads. This means the winner of each race can stomp on the pad and blast the other riders with a drenching spray of water.
Don’t worry about tricky set-ups that require hours of inflation or come with complex instructions. This slip and slide easily attaches to your garden hose and comes with four stakes to grip the sides to the ground.
Find the Banzai Triple Tag Racer Water Slide (for ages five through 12) in BJ’s stores nationwide. The slip and slide retails for $19.99.
It’s time to get ready to hit those Black Friday sales. In recent years, shopping commenced before the turkey was served. It can be challenging to plan out your Thanksgiving menu along with your holiday shopping. To help keep our calendars organized, RetailMeNot has compiled a list of confirmed and projected Black Friday store hours.
Happy shopping!
A.C. Moore Thanksgiving Day: Closed Black Friday: Opens at 5 a.m.
Academy Sports + Outdoors Thanksgiving Day: Closed, shoppers can get deals online or in-store from November 22-28 Black Friday: 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Ace Hardware Thanksgiving Day: Closed Black Friday: Varies by location
Ann Taylor Thanksgiving Day: Closed Black Friday: Varies by location
Apple Thanksgiving Day: Closed Black Friday: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Navy Exchange Thanksgiving Day: Closed Black Friday: Opens at 5 a.m.
Neiman Marcus Thanksgiving Day: Closed Black Friday: Opens at 8 a.m.
New Balance Thanksgiving Day: Closed Black Friday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
New York & Company
Thanksgiving Day: 6 p.m. Black Friday: Opens at 6 a.m, but check local mall hours
Nordstrom Thanksgiving Day: Closed Black Friday: Opens at 8 a.m, but check local store hours
Office Depot and OfficeMax Thanksgiving Day: Closed, but sales start online at 12:01 a.m. ET Black Friday: Opens at 8 a.m.
Old Navy Thanksgiving Day: Opens at 3 p.m. and many do not close, but some close at 1 a.m. Black Friday: Many stay open from Thanksgiving until 11 p.m., but some open at 5 a.m.
PacSun Thanksgiving Day: Closed Black Friday: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
PetSmart Thanksgiving Day: Closed Black Friday: Yet to be announced
Pottery Barn Thanksgiving Day: Closed Black Friday: Yet to be announced
Check your kid’s scooter. Jakk’s Pacific is recalling MorfBoard Skate & Scoot Combo scooters with “Y” handlebars. The “Y” handlebar joint on the scooter can break, posing a fall hazard.
This recall involves Morfboard Skate & Scoot Combo scooters with “Y” handlebars. The skateboard system has interchangeable parts that convert into a scooter. The scooter is created by inserting the “Y” handlebar into the base board. The scooters were sold in a variety of colors, including cyan (blue), chartreuse (yellow), lava (red) and mint (green). An 8-character alphanumeric manufacturing date code is located on the bottom side of each skate deck that is sold as part of the Skate & Scoot Combo. Only scooters with the following manufacturing date codes are included in the recall: 0049VE01, 0128VE01, 0238VE01, 0328VE01, 0598VE01, 0718VE01, 0878VE01, 1068VE01, 1168VE01, 1278VE01, 1458VE01, 1508VE01,1598VE01, 1858VE01, 2068VE01, 2328VE01, 2398VE01, 2478VE01, 2548VE01, 2508VE01, 2568VE01, 2958VE01, 3198VE01, 3258VE01, 3537VE01, 3628VE01.
Consumers should immediately take these recalled scooters with the “Y” handlebars away from children and contact Jakks Pacific to receive a free replacement “T” handlebar.
The company has received 18 reports of the “Y” handlebars breaking with one injury when a child fell resulting in a bloody nose.
These scooters were sold at Walmart, Target, Toys R Us, Meijer, BJ’s Wholesale Club stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com and morfboard.com from February 2018 through August 2020 for about $100.
Consumers can contact Jakks Pacific online at www.jakks.com and click on “Safety Notices” at the bottom of the page or toll-free at 855-602-5464 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT Mon. through Fri. for more information.
Oh my gourd! Now you can have a pumpkin delivered to your doorstep. BJ’s Wholesale Club is announcing that they are offering pumpkin delivery through their same-day delivery service.
As always, same-day delivery orders are subject to a $14.99 service fee, so if you want to skip the fee, BJ’s is offering additional contactless pumpkin purchase options. The pumpkins are also available through the retailer’s recently launched contactless curbside pick-up service or buy online, pick-up in club, or just shop in clubs to select your own! So, you can get your pumpkins however you want this year.
There are two options when picking your pumpkin:
Jumbo Pumpkin weighing between 25 and 30 pounds for $9.99
Large Pumpkin weighing between 15 and 20 pounds for $5.99
Plus, BJ’s is offering $1.00 off the pumpkins with a coupon through Oct. 14, which is easy to clip right on their website on the product page when you’re ordering your pumpkin online.
The pumpkins will be available through the month of October, but inventory may run low the closer you get to Halloween, so don’t miss your chance to get your pumpkin delivery.
With COVID-19 cases on the rise across the much of the country, many state and local governments are requiring people to wear masks when they leave their homes.The CDC advocates wearing face coverings to help prevent the spread of the virus. Now more and more national retail chains, including Target, Walmart, Costco, Trader Joe’s and more, are requiring face masks in stores for shoppers as well as staff. Typically, these restrictions do not apply to children under two or those with a medical condition that prohibits them from wearing a mask. Looking for a face mask that will fit your kiddo? We’ve rounded up the best ones right here.
Editor’s Note: At the time of publication these are the stores requiring face coverings. We’re doing our best to keep you up to date and will update the list as more stores change their coronavirus protocols.
Here are all the major retailers requiring customers to wear face coverings in locations nationwide:
Walmart
On Jul. 15 it was announced that masks would be required at all Walmart and Sam’s Club outlets starting Jul. 20. To help ensure consistency with this new process, all stores will have a single entrance. Employees will be stationed at store entrances to remind customers of the requirement and supply disposable masks to those who arrive without one.
Amazon
The e-commerce brand instituted a mask requirement on Jul. 20 at Whole Foods supermarkets and Amazon brick-and-mortar stores. They will continue to offer free, disposable masks to customers who do not have their own.
Kroger
Effective Jul. 22, all customers will now be required to wear a mask. “We are taking this extra step now because we recognize additional precautions are needed to protect our country,” the company said in a statement released on Jul. 15.
Costco
Since May 4 the warehouse store has required all customers to wear a face covering.“This is not simply a matter of personal choice; a face covering protects not just the wearer but others, too,” said President and CEO Craig Jelinek.
Walgreens
On Jul. 16, the drugstore announced that they would be requiring all customers to wear a face covering effective Jul. 20. Kevin Ban, Walgreens chief medical officer said, “As cases continue to rise in many parts of the country, it’s critical we, as businesses and members of the community, do everything we can.”
Home Depot
All customers must wear a face mask effective Jul. 22. “Social distancing captains and store associates will be available to provide masks to those shoppers who may not have one,” the company said in an announcement on Jul 17.
CVS
The pharmacy chain will now require all customers wear face coverings effective Jul. 20. In a statement on Jul. 16, Jon Roberts, the company’s chief operating officer said, “We’re not asking our store employees to play the role of enforcer,”What we are asking is that customers help protect themselves and those around them by listening to the experts and heeding the call to wear a face covering.”
Target
The retailer updated their Coronavirus Response Page on Jul 16. Starting Aug. 1 all customers will be required to wear a face covering. Stores will provide disposable masks to shoppers who arrive without one.
Lowe’s
Effective Jul. 20, all customers will be required to wear a face mask. In a statement on Jul. 17, CEO Marvin Ellison said, “For the safety of everyone in our stores, we ask that customers wear masks, and to make this new standard less restrictive, we will make masks available to those who need them.”
Albertsons
Effective Jul. 21, all customers will be required to wear a face coveringthe parent company of Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel Osco and other grocery chains announced Jul. 16 on its corporate website.
Apple Store
As Apple begins opening its retail stores, they announced that all customers will be required to wear a face mask. “Face coverings will be required for all of our teams and customers, and we will provide them to customers who don’t bring their own,” according to their opening letter.
Best Buy
All customers are required to wear a face covering. The electronics chain will provide a mask for those who do not have one according to a statement released Jul. 14.
Publix
Beginning Jul. 21, all customers will be required to wear a face mask according to a statement posted to their coronavirus updates web page.
ALDI
Effective Jul. 27 face coverings will be required for all ALDI customers as a “an enhanced safety measure intended to help limit the spread of COVID-19.”
Trader Joe’s
On Jul. 15, Trader Joe’s announced that they are now requiring customers to wear a face covering.
All customers will be required to wear a face mask effective Jul 22. According to a statement released Jul. 17, if a customer does not have a mask, the store will provide one.
Verizon
According to a statement on the store’s web page, customers are required to wear cloth face coverings.
Kohl’s
Starting Jul. 20, all customers will be required to wear a face mask. According to a statement released Jul. 15, “Store associates have been trained on the new health and safety measures in place, and we have associate greeters at the entrance of each store to welcome shoppers and remind them to wear masks.”
Starbucks
As of Jul. 15, all customers are required to wear a face covering. According to a statement from the coffee chain, “It is our responsibility to protect our partners and comply with local public health mandates. As such, our partners have the right and responsibility to refuse service to customers who are not wearing facial coverings.”
Meijer
Effective Jul. 20, the supermarket chain is requiring face coverings for all locations throughout Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.
Rite Aid
As of Jul. 21, customers will be required to wear face masks. According to a statement released Jul. 17, a free mask will be provided for those who come without one.
Gap
Masks will be required in all stores including Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Intermix, Athleta, and Janie and Jack, starting Aug. 1 according to a Jul. 20 update to the companies coronavirus response page.
American Eagle
Customers at American Eagle and Aerie stores are now required to wear a face covering. Face masks are available to any customer that may need one.
BJ’s Wholesale
Effective Jul. 21, all customers will be required to wear a face mask. Out of an abundance of caution, they are also temporarily stopping food sampling in their clubs.
Menards
According to the store’s COVID-19 Policy page, all customers are required to wear a mask. Face coverings are required on children unless in arms or seated in shopping carts.
PetSmart
On Jul. 17 the pet supply chain updated its coronavirus information page to require all customers to wear face coverings.
Panera Bread
Beginning Jul. 15, all customers will be required to wear a face mask except while seated and eating or drinking.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recently announced a recall for Step2’s Little Helper’s Shopping Carts. The shopping cart’s basket can break into sharp pieces, posing a laceration hazard. Step2 has received 22 reports of cart baskets breaking. No injuries have been reported.
This recall involves Step2’s Little Helper’s Shopping Cart with the following model numbers and color combinations: 700000 (blue basket with tan cart,) 708500 (pink basket with white cart) and 8567KL (pink basket with gray cart). The grocery shopping carts measure 18.5 inches by 13 inches by 21.5 inches and have a shopping cart base and basket, four wheels and a doll seat. Only units with date code combinations of 5 and 19 are included in this recall. The date code can be found on the center rib on the back of the basket below the handle. The model number is located on the product packaging.
The affected shopping carts were sold at BJ Wholesale Club, Kohl’s and other stores nationwide and online at Step2 from May 2019 through October 2019 for about $40.
Consumers should immediately take away the recalled shopping carts from children and contact Step2 online or by phone at 800-347-8372 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday for a free replacement shopping cart or a refund in the form of a $40 credit.
Does it seem like your kids could survive entirely on mac and cheese? Now you can bring the flavor they crave to other foods with Kraft’s new Macaroni and Cheese Topping Sauce or Sprinkle.
If your kids love the taste of mac and cheese, then maybe they’ll be willing to eat broccoli covered in cheese flavoring. You can whip the Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Topping into a sauce with milk and butter just like you do when you make a box of Kraft’s Macaroni and Cheese. You can also simply sprinkle the stuff over veggies or really anything that sounds like it might be more appealing with a dose of cheddar flavor.
The only tricky part is tracking some down. The 20-ounce shaker of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Topping Sauce or Sprinkle is currently available at east coast based wholesale club, BJ’s for $6.99.
If you don’t live in the region of a BJ’s, you can still score the stuff online on Amazon and eBay, but you’ll have to pay a steeper price. If it gets your picky eater to try some veggies, it just might be worth it.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently announced a voluntary recall for 2,297 cases and two bulk bins of McIntosh, Honeycrisp, Jonathon, Fuji, Jonamac and Red Delicious apples sold under the Great Lakes and North Bay Produce Pure Michigan brands due to a potential Listeria monocytogenes concern. Some of the apples recalled were also sold in unbranded clear plastic totes, white paper totes and individually in retailer displays.
According to a press release from North Bay Produce, “The recalled apples were shipped between Oct. 16th, 2019 and Oct. 21st, 2019 from one North Bay facility to wholesalers, retailers and brokers in Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin.”
Recalled Product Description: North Bay Apples
The recalled products include McIntosh, Honeycrisp, Jonathon, Fuji, Jonamac and Red Delicious apples sold either in plastic bags with the brand names Great Lakes and North Bay Produce Pure Michigan or clear totes, white paper totes or individually under no brand name. The apples were shipped to wholesale and retail facilities in Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin between Oct. 16 and 21, 2019.
Why the Apples Were Recalled
The recall was initiated out of a Listeria monocytogenes contamination concern. Listeria monocytogenes can cause headaches, fever, nausea abdominal pain and diarrhea, with more severe effects in young children, elderly adults or anyone with a compromised immune system. The microorganism can also cause miscarriage or stillbirth in pregnant women.
As of now there are no reports of illnesses from the apples.
How To Tell If Your Apples Were Recalled
According to North Bay Produce’s press statement, “Apples purchased at retail prior to October 16th are not affected by this recall, and no other North Bay Produce products are affected by this recall.”
For a full list varieties, brands, UPC codes, PLU numbers and item numbers, visit the FDA’s website here.
What Consumers Can Do
If you have the recalled apples, don’t eat them. Throw the apples away or return them to the place of purchase. To contact North Bay Produce with questions call 1-231-929-4001, Monday-Friday, 8am––5pm ET or visit the company’s website at northbayproduce.com.
—Erica Loop
Photos: Courtesy of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
They say the quickest way to a kid’s heart is through his tummy. That’s true where gummy bears and ice cream are concerned, at least. Get your family curious about where their food comes from by taking a factory or warehouse tour. There is a lot of food and drink made in the Chicago area and some manufacturers will take you behind the scenes. Flip through our album to discover tours for fans of candy, coffee and beer (both root and the grownup varieties).
Hop on the Jelly Belly Train (yes, it's a thing) to tour the warehouse and learn through videos how candy corn, jellybeans and gummies are made. Shop the store to enjoy the sample bar, where visitors can taste each flavor as well as any favorite or new confection on the day’s menu. If you find yourself there at lunchtime, small bites are available at the Jelly Belly Snack Bar. Guided tours are scheduled 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and groups of visitors are taken around every 10-15 minutes.
10100 Jelly Belly Lane, Pleasant Prairie, WI (866-TOUR-JBC or jellybelly.com)
Show your kids what happens behind the scenes to create the lifeblood of exhausted parents everywhere by taking them on a tour of Intelligentsia Coffee. Visitors will learn every aspect of coffee making with live demonstrations of the roasting process and discussions of everything involved between the farmer growing the beans and the coffee being savored in the mug. Enjoy all the freshly brewed coffee you can drink while on the tour and leave with the shakes and a free 12 oz. bag of freshly roasted coffee. Tour admission is $30 for adults and free for children under the age of 13. Tour availability is limited and reservations are highly recommended.
This local gem is a wholesale supplier of more than 300 gourmet confections sold throughout the country, their signature confection being the Milk Chocolate Pecan Myrtle. Tours of their facility are offered for groups of 10 or more, but sometimes you can join an existing tour if you’re short a few people. Kids will get a kick out of the 2,500-pound chocolate Statue of Liberty and 500-pound Santa sculptures that greet visitors. The tour starts with a video explaining how chocolate is made and moves on to the kitchen viewing area, were depending on the production schedule, you’ll see anything from caramel being cooked in copper pots to cream and butter filling churning in huge mixers. Watch as staff hand paints colored chocolate into the molds prior to filling, resulting in what looks like miniature pieces of art.
Tours cost $2 per person and are available Monday-Friday. Reservations are required and live production is not guaranteed. Stick around after the tour to shop for treats in their factory store.
Filbert’s doesn’t offer a scripted tour of their facilities, but their friendly staff is always more than happy to show customers around their bottling facility. They’re most known for root beer, but they produce 25 soda flavors in total. Before you go in to buy your mixed case or keg of soda, call ahead to see if they’re bottling that day so you can see the operation in action.
Here’s a tour that the grownups will get excited about. Two Brothers was started in 1996 by — you guessed it — two brothers with a passion for microbrews. They open their doors for guests of any age for 45-minute tours, just check their online calendar for dates and times. Reservations are not required and guests are treated to the sights, smells and, for those 21 years and older, tastes of the brewery. Come hungry so you can enjoy the extensive menu at Tap House.
Not only does Albanese make gummies as pretty as they are delicious, they welcome visitors to take a peek into the manufacturing process for what have become known as the “World’s Best Gummies.” Tours are designed for all ages and consist of viewing the Gummi Factory through eight separate windows and watching videos explaining the creation of gummies and Gold Label chocolates. Free self-guided tours take about 5-15 minutes and are available any time during normal business hours (Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.); no reservations required. You’re rewarded at the end with samples of the freshest gummi and chocolate samples you’ll ever eat.
5441 E. Lincoln Highway, Merrillville, IN (855-272-3227 or albanesecandy.com)
The Plant is a 93,500-square-foot former pork processing facility that has been transformed into a collaborative community of small businesses focused on growing, producing and sourching a variety of food products. It is currently home to over a dozen small businesses, including indoor and outdoor farms. Take a self-guided tour Saturdays between noon-2 p.m., to learn more about circular economy principles, view their waste museum, hear from interns, and explore and explore a demonstration aquaponic system.
1400 W. 46th St., Back of the Yards (773-847-5523 or plantchicago.org)
