Walmart Stores to Close on Thanksgiving; Here’s How They Told Employees

Walmart stores across the country will once again be closed on Thanksgiving this year.

How Walmart Informed Employees

The company made the announcement to its employees in a video shared on social media this week.

"I am once again delighted to share that once again we will be closing our stores for Thanksgiving this year," John Furner, Walmart president and CEO, said in the video.

Furner went on to say the company wants the employees to be able to stay home to celebrate whether it's spending time with family, watching football or eating a holiday meal.

Closing On Thanksgiving Becoming The Norm

This marks the fourth year in the row that Walmart will be closed on Thanksgiving. In 2022, the retailer reopened the following day at 5 a.m. for Black Friday sales.

Other retail chains have followed suit closing on Thanksgiving including Target and Kohl's in recent years.

A People.com article pointed toward the 2020 Covid pandemic being the catalyst for stores closing on Thanksgiving.

"Ever since Walmart made the decision to close up shop at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many U.S. retailers and big-box stores have followed the trend of putting their employees first and closing their businesses on the holiday," the article states.