Walmart Announces Stores Will Be Closed On Thanksgiving

Every year, we're treated to the screaming matches about whether a store should open on Thanksgiving or close its doors so employees can be with their families. Now, a major player has bowed out of the argument.

In-store Black Friday sales that actually begin on Thanksgiving Day have been a source of much back-and-forth about how major retailers treat their employees for a good number of years. However, this year Walmart and Sam's Club have put the issue to bed relatively early in the year.

John Furner, president and CEO of Walmart US:

We know this has been a trying year, and our associates have stepped up. We hope they will enjoy a special Thanksgiving Day at home with their loved ones.

Taking things a step further, Walmart said it will also give bonuses of between $150 and $300 to employees in August. They pointed out that this is the third round of bonuses for its employees since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic totaling $1.1 billion.

Walmart is far from being the first major retailer to make the decision to close on Thanksgiving. Here are just a few that remained closed last year on turkey day: