On Nov. 20, 2005, I marveled at Tower Records’ holiday hours—the store being open on Thanksgiving and also Christmas. A year later, the retail music chain was gone—and, tragically, a broader cultural experience/lifestyle with it. Major bookstore chains, like Borders, followed along later—all casualties of the digital content economy (or lack of it because of piracy) enabled by Internet distribution.
Finding anything open for business on the third Thursday of November was a challenge 12 years ago. Today, retailers can’t wait to welcome shoppers. Black Friday deals have been available pretty much everywhere all week, while bargain hunters can shop today at their favorite stores. That is, if not scouring Amazon deals from ye `ol smart device while sitting on the couch, watching football, chugging brewskis, and belching.
Check to see if your local Walmart will be open all day Thanksgiving. We have at least one in San Diego. But Black Friday sales don’t start until 6 p.m. Hey, K-Mart shoppers, doors open at 6 a.m. JC Penny joins Turkey Day retail at 2 p.m; Old Navy two hours later. Need more time for that meal to settle down? Best Buy, Kohl’s, Macy’s, and Toys R US crack the doors at 5 p.m. Sears and Target graciously wait until six.
If you need that bright, shiny new thing right away, Amazon Prime Now will operate like any other day. Just one-click buy and some schlepp choosing paid holiday hours over family feast will drop by your package within 2 hours. Do be suspicious of gravy stains on any boxes, though.
My plan is to give thanks and spend serene, commercial-free time alone and with the family. The Featured Image, shot with Leica Q at a neighbor’s yard down the street, punctuates the sentiment. Vitals, aperture manually set: f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/640 sec, 28mm; Nov. 16, 2017 at 11:10 a.m. PST.
Gobble. Gobble. Happy Thanksgiving!