Which Big Stores Are Open on Thanksgiving 2026

4 min read

Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026, and many big stores will close. A few grocery and discount chains will stay open for last-minute shoppers.

Key Points

Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Home Depot, Kohl’s and Lowe’s have confirmed they will close.
Meijer and Sprouts plan to open with shorter hours on Thanksgiving Day.
Many grocery stores and pharmacies stay open, but hours vary by location.

Big Stores Closed on Thanksgiving 2026

Six major retailers have confirmed they will close on Thanksgiving Day, Yahoo Shopping reported.

Walmart
Target
Best Buy
Home Depot
Kohl’s
Lowe’s

Costco, Aldi, Publix and Trader Joe’s are also expected to close, as they have in past years. Beauty stores Sephora and Ulta usually close too.

Good to know. Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday of November in the United States.

Stores Open on Thanksgiving Day

Some stores will open for shoppers who forgot an ingredient or need a quick snack run. Here are the hours shared so far.

Store	Thanksgiving hours
Meijer	6 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sprouts	7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Bass Pro Shops	9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last year)
Cabela’s	9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last year)
Dollar General	8 a.m. to 9 or 10 p.m. (last year)
Family Dollar	Hours vary by store

Hours marked “last year” may change. Always check with your local store before you go.

6 retailersBig chains that confirmed they will close on Thanksgiving 2026, per Yahoo Shopping.

Grocery Stores and Pharmacies

Many grocery chains usually open on Thanksgiving morning with shorter hours. These include Kroger, Albertsons, Safeway, Food Lion and Whole Foods.

Hours differ by region, and many stores close early in the afternoon. Call ahead or check the store’s app. Some smaller local markets may stay open longer than big chains.

CVS stores are usually open. Most Walgreens stores close, but 24-hour locations stay open.

Do you shop on Thanksgiving Day?

Yes, for last-minute items
Only online
Never
Not sure

Can You Buy Alcohol on Thanksgiving?

It depends on where you live. Liquor stores cannot sell alcohol on Thanksgiving in Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Rhode Island.

Pennsylvania also closes its state-run wine and spirits stores for the day. In other states, stores like Total Wine may open with limited hours.

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What to Do, Tips for Last-Minute Thanksgiving Shopping

The days right before Thanksgiving are some of the busiest of the year for grocery stores. Shopping early in the week can help you avoid long lines and empty shelves.

If you need something on Thanksgiving Day, go early. Most stores that open close by mid-afternoon.

Delivery apps can also help, but slots fill up fast. Book a delivery or pickup time a few days ahead if you can.

Keep a simple backup plan for key items like butter, broth and cranberry sauce. These often sell out first.

Why So Many Stores Close

Many big retailers now close on Thanksgiving to give workers time with family. Years ago, stores often opened on Thursday evening for early Black Friday deals.

Today, most of those deals start online days or even weeks earlier. That means shoppers can still grab bargains from home.

Thanksgiving is also an official federal holiday. You can check the full list of holidays on the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website.

Try this today. Make your Thanksgiving shopping list now and buy non-perishable items early. Stores get very busy in the final days before the holiday.