You can count me among the many people who hated the shopping trend that was beginning to take over the retail world. It wasn't enough for stores to open up early for their amazing Black Friday deals. Many stores tried to one-up all the others and open at some point during Thanksgiving Day. I hated the trend and felt bad for anyone who worked in retail and couldn't even get a full day off.

But then the pandemic of 2020 hit. Most stores remained closed last year due to COVID safety issues. And guess what? People appreciated that retailers nationwide closed their doors in honor of the Thanksgiving holiday. Early this year, several stores like Target and Kohls announced they would again be closed for Thanksgiving in 2021. I'm happy to report that according to the site The Black Friday, the trend has really caught on! Here is the list of national retailers with stores in Eastern Iowa that will be closed on Thanksgiving.

  • Wal-Mart
  • Best Buy
  • Target
  • Kohl's
  • Lowe's
  • Sam's Club
  • J.C. Penney
  • Game Stop
  • Home Depot
  • Costco
  • Ace Hardware
  • Acme Tools
  • Barnes and Noble
  • Bath and Body Works
  • Bed Bath and Beyond
  • Blain's Farm and Fleet
  • Dick's Sporting Goods
  • Dillards
  • Five Below
  • Fleet Farm
  • Guitar Center
  • Half Price Books
  • Hobby Lobby
  • Menards
  • Michaels
  • Office Depot/Office Max
  • Old Navy
  • Pet Smart
  • Petco
  • Sears
  • Staples
  • Tractor Supply
  • True Value
  • Ulta

All of those stores will stay closed Thursday, and then wow you with their Black Friday deals early on Friday morning. If you wonder what stores ARE open on Thanksgiving Day, you can find that much smaller list HERE.

Palisades-Kepler State Park in the Fall

I took a drive out to Palisades-Kepler State Park in Mount Vernon to capture some of the beautiful fall colors before winter takes over. I hope you enjoy the scenery as much as I did!

The Coolest Wisconsin Cabins You Can Rent on Airbnb

Looking for a Midwest getaway? Spend a few days at one of these cozy Wisconsin cabins available on Airbnb!

More From 97.7 KCRR