Stores Open on Thanksgiving 2025: What’s Open and Closed

Whether you’re scrambling for a last-minute ingredient or just curious about what’s open on Thanksgiving, the holiday landscape has shifted in recent years. More major retailers are choosing to close their doors, but a handful of essential services — grocery stores, drugstores, and a few surprises — keep running.

Stores featured in Good Housekeeping’s 2025 list: 24 · Major retailers closed on Thanksgiving 2025: Walmart, Target, Costco · Grocery chains open on Thanksgiving 2025: ACME, Albertsons, HEB, ShopRite, Stop & Shop, Wegmans, Whole Foods · Drugstores open on Thanksgiving 2025: CVS, Walgreens

Here is the core data comparing what’s open and closed for Thanksgiving 2025.

Do shops close on Thanksgiving?

Most stores in the US close on Thanksgiving, but the pattern isn’t universal. The holiday has become a dividing line: major big-box retailers shut down, while grocery chains and drugstores keep limited hours to serve last-minute needs.

Which major retailers are closed?

• Walmart – closed on Thanksgiving 2025 (Patch)
• Target – closed on Thanksgiving 2025 (Patch)
• Costco – closed (Patch)
• Trader Joe’s – closed (Yahoo News)
• Aldi – closed (Yahoo News)
• BJ’s Wholesale Club – closed (Patch)
• Sam’s Club – closed (Patch)

Which retailers remain open?

• CVS – open, with NYC locations reported 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Fox 5 New York)
• Walgreens – open (hours vary by location)
• Whole Foods – open with modified hours, many 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 3 p.m. (Yahoo News)
• Stop & Shop – open until 3 p.m. (CBS News)
• Wegmans – open until 4 p.m. (Yahoo News)
• Dollar Tree – open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Fox 5 New York)
• Family Dollar – open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Fox 5 New York)

The implication: the days of Thanksgiving as a major shopping day are fading. The trend toward closure is now dominant, and the few stores that remain open are focused on essentials like groceries and pharmacy items.

Is anything open in New York on Thanksgiving?

New York City is arguably the most active city in the US on Thanksgiving. While many stores close, restaurants, tourist attractions, and some essential retailers keep the city moving.

Restaurants and bars

• Many restaurants offer Thanksgiving dinner, from diners to fine dining
• Bars often open in the evening after the parade
• Some chains like McDonald’s and Starbucks may have limited hours

Tourist attractions

• The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the centerpiece, open to the public along the route from 77th Street to Macy’s Herald Square (Time Out New York)
• Many museums, including the American Museum of Natural History, are open (some with holiday hours)
• Broadway shows typically have matinee performances

Shopping centers

• Most malls in the NYC area are closed on Thanksgiving
• Individual stores in Manhattan may have varying hours – check locally
• Drugstores like Duane Reade and CVS in Manhattan remain open, with some 24-hour locations (Time Out New York)

The catch: New York on Thanksgiving is a great day to be a tourist, but a frustrating day to run errands. Pharmacies and a few groceries are your only mainstream retail options.

What attractions are open on Thanksgiving Day in NYC?

If you’re visiting New York over Thanksgiving, you’re not stuck in a hotel room. The city’s major cultural institutions adapt their schedules for the holiday.

Museums

• The American Museum of Natural History is open on Thanksgiving (hours may be reduced)
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art is typically closed on Thanksgiving
• The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is open on Thanksgiving

Parades

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade runs from 9 a.m. to noon. It’s free to watch along the route. The parade is a 2.5-mile procession from West 77th Street & Central Park West to Macy’s Herald Square at 34th Street.

Broadway shows

• Many Broadway shows have matinee performances on Thanksgiving Day
• Evening performances are less common but some exist
• Check individual show schedules for holiday hours

The pattern: New York’s Thanksgiving is about experiences, not errands. The parade and a museum visit can fill the morning, but afternoon options are limited unless you have a dinner reservation.

Is Walmart near me closed on Thanksgiving?

Walmart is closed on Thanksgiving 2025, according to multiple reports. However, there is a conflicting report from Patch suggesting Walmart may open for Black Friday deals at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving. This discrepancy highlights the importance of checking your local store.

Walmart’s Thanksgiving hours

• Most sources: Walmart is closed all day on Thanksgiving 2025 (Patch)
• One report: Walmart may open at 6 p.m. for Black Friday (Patch)
• Walmart’s official hours are not yet confirmed for 2025

Alternatives to Walmart

• Target is closed on Thanksgiving (Patch)
• Grocery stores like Albertsons, ACME, HEB, and ShopRite are open with limited hours
• Drugstores like CVS and Walgreens are open

The trade-off: if you absolutely need a general merchandise item on Thanksgiving, Walmart is likely not an option. Your best bet is a grocery store or drugstore.

Do people shop on Thanksgiving?

While physical store traffic has dropped dramatically, online shopping on Thanksgiving is booming. The day has become a digital kickoff for Black Friday.

Black Friday shopping trends

• Many retailers start Black Friday deals online on Thanksgiving Day
• Online sales on Thanksgiving have grown year-over-year
• Amazon, Walmart, and Target all run online deals on Thanksgiving

Online shopping on Thanksgiving

• Convenience: shop from home after the parade or dinner
• Deals: early access to Black Friday prices
• No crowds: avoid the rush of in-store Black Friday

The implication: Thanksgiving shopping hasn’t disappeared – it’s just moved from the store to the couch. The rise of online deals on Thursday means you can still score Black Friday savings without leaving the table.

Timeline: The shift away from Thanksgiving Day shopping

• 2023: Many retailers began closing on Thanksgiving due to pandemic shifts and changing consumer expectations.
• 2024: Walmart and Target continued closures, solidifying the trend.
• 2025: Walmart, Target, Costco closed; grocery and drugstores open with limited hours.

Quotes from the experts

“Walmart, Costco and Target are closed on Thanksgiving, but some grocers, pharmacies and dollar stores will be open with limited hours.”

— Axios reporter (via Patch)

“Big Lots: Most stores will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., but hours vary by location.”

— Good Housekeeping writer (via Yahoo News)

Summary: The trend toward Thanksgiving closures is now the norm, not the exception. For shoppers in the US, the message is clear: plan your Thanksgiving errands around grocery and drugstore hours, or shift your shopping online. The days of hitting the mall after turkey are over – and that’s probably a good thing for everyone.