• The Associated Press reports that Walmart has announced that it will close all its US stores on Thanksgiving this year, following a similar announcement by Target.
Walmart said on Friday that "it wants to give workers time off for all their 'hard work and dedication' to the company."
The AP writes: "The move shows how the pandemic will have lasting effects on the retail industry's strategies, even as the health virus ebbs. For almost a decade, Black Friday store shopping had been kicked off with big crowds on the Thursday of Thanksgiving and expanded into Friday. However, last year, given safety concerns, most stores were closed on Thanksgiving.
"Walmart, like other stores, successfully pushed more sales online to reduce crowds in its stores. But, even as safety protocols relax, the Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer apparently believes that not having the Black Friday kickoff on Thanksgiving won't hurt its business."
