No Black Friday at Walmart?

[MarcB]

I just saw a report on the news that in order to prevent another tragedy like the one that happened on Long Island last year, Walmart isn't doing Black Friday this year. What they're doing instead is opening at 6AM Thanksgiving Morning and remaining open non-stop til 11PM Black Friday.

[JayR]

Is this for the Walmarts which are not open 24 hours?

[MarcB]

Yes. And speaking as a former employee I can tell you a lot of former 24 hour stores are no longer 24 hours.

[Yeziknoradio]

Yes. And speaking as a former employee I can tell you a lot of former 24 hour stores are no longer 24 hours.

WoW! Will they be going 24 hr for the Christmas rush at all?

I've noticed they chose not to do that this year at many locations that are now going to be open 7am-midnight durring the rush, but I'm not sure about ALL locations.

[LowPayDJ]

My favorite time to X-mas shop at Walmart was always 2 or 3am  Not as much B.S. to deal with.

[MarcB]

My favorite time to X-mas shop at Walmart was always 2 or 3am  Not as much B.S. to deal with.

That's what time I like to go to the grocery store, but since most of the time I'm either sleeping then or just getting to bed, it's not happening. Especially in the old days when I used to work at a 24 hour grocery store. If I came in on my day off or after my shift my nosy co-workers would always ask "Why am I at the store?" Or even better customers who know me as an employee even when I'm in my street clothes and expect me to help them.  Didn't have to deal with that when I'd go shopping at 1 or 2 in the morning.

[anotherguy]

Most of the Wal Marts in West TN are supercenters that are open 24/7 anyway, with the possible exception of a few in high crime areas of Memphis.

From what I've read on the web Wal Mart will still have Black Friday specials starting at 5 AM, but will have the stores open 24 hours so that there shouldn't be the problem of crowds waiting for the store to open. But I'd still think that there could be a problem of crowds at displays for hot items, although that probably wouldn't be as bad. In any case there will still be some people who will act like idiots to get some hot items. I may do some shopping on Black Friday, but nothing short of giving away new cars or free money to every customer will make me get up to be there at 5 AM.  I'm too busy sleeping at that time.

[Rollo-Smokes]

It's bad enough that they open their stores with the roosters on the Day After Thanksgiving, requiring those scheduled to work at opening to cut their holiday short in order to get up at 2:00 or 3:00 AM.

Now they're asking those same employees to give up their holiday evening, all for the benefit of unfiltered corporate greed. 

Thanksgiving evening should be one of those times (Christmas Day is the other) where Big Retail should put humanity ahead of profits and let their people enjoy the time with their families and loved ones.  Those are the priceless times.

No retail union shop would ever allow that.  MarcB, consider yourself lucky to be freed from the clutches of the real evil empire.  Enjoy your Thanksgiving at home this year.

[firepoint525]

It's bad enough that they open their stores with the roosters on the Day After Thanksgiving, requiring those scheduled to work at opening to cut their holiday short in order to get up at 2:00 or 3:00 AM.
Now they're asking those same employees to give up their holiday evening, all for the benefit of unfiltered corporate greed. 
Thanksgiving evening should be one of those times (Christmas Day is the other) where Big Retail should put humanity ahead of profits and let their people enjoy the time with their families and loved ones.  Those are the priceless times.
No retail union shop would ever allow that.  MarcB, consider yourself lucky to be freed from the clutches of the real evil empire.  Enjoy your Thanksgiving at home this year.

I couldn't agree more, except that retail employees should not be forced to give up ANY of their Thanksgiving Day holiday.

The Dollar General here in the small town where I now live has posted signs in their front window saying that they will be open at 7:00 A.M. on Thanksgiving Day!     Dollar General?!?!  What could they possibly have there on Thanksgiving Day that I could not already buy there, or buy there the day after Thanksgiving?

[firepoint525]

Most of the Wal Marts in West TN are supercenters that are open 24/7 anyway, with the possible exception of a few in high crime areas of Memphis.

I consider myself fortunate.  I worked at the Wal-Mart in Union City back in 1987, before most of the modern-day "black Friday" hype started.  They opened at a respectable 7:00 a.m. that morning, after having been closed on Thanksgiving.

And I don't know where you live in west TN, but Wal-Mart in Union City has moved at least twice since I worked there.  They moved from Obion Square (where they were when I worked for them) to County Marketplace in 1988, and then to a new "superstore" just across highway 51 from County Marketplace, sometime in the '90s.