Walmart U.S. CEO John Furner announced Monday that the company will close its doors on Thanksgiving for the fourth consecutive year.
“Thanksgiving is such a special day during a very busy season. We want you to spend that day at home with family and loved ones,” Furner said in a video message to associates on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Walmart is the first major retailer to announce it’s closing for the holiday this year, though it’s likely that rivals will follow suit.
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It has become a growing trend that first started during the COVID-19 pandemic. In recent years, employers continued to close down for the holiday because they wanted to thank them for their hard work during the global health crisis and give them extra time off.
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Companies had once capitalized on Thanksgiving as an early start to Black Friday shopping. However, a handful of major big-box retailers have now made it clear that they would close on the holiday for the foreseeable future.
“It’s a thing of the past,” Furner said during an interview with the “Today” show last year when asked if the company would stay open during the holiday.
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In 2021, Target CEO Brian Cornell also announced that its stores would be closed on Thanksgiving Day “moving forward.”
“What started as a temporary measure driven by the pandemic is now our new standard,” Cornell told employees in a note before the 2021 holiday season.
Costco, BJ’s, Kohl’s, Lowe’s, Home Depot and TJX Companies were among the companies that closed on Thanksgiving last year.