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Last-Minute Shoppers Hit Stores As More Remain Closed Thanksgiving Day

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Thanksgiving is only a day away, and people are picking up those last-minute staples for the dinner menu. Many stores are going to remain closed for the holiday Thursday.

In past years, Target would have been open for part of Thanksgiving. But last year, Target stayed closed on the holiday to try to limit crowds in the pandemic. This year, the CEO said stores will remain closed on Thanksgiving permanently.

And that is the case for many stores. Kowalski's will be closed tomorrow. Select Cub Foods stores will be open with reduced hours, but others are closed, so you have to check by location.

Kathy and Gerry Zielinski were picking up some pies at the Kowalski's in Eden Prairie Wednesday. They didn't have their usual Thanksgiving last year due to COVID-19, but this year they said everyone is vaccinated and they're heading to Chicago to be with family. They say the pies are coming, too.

Most Hy-Vee stores will stay open but with reduced hours. On the other hand, stores like Costco, Aldi, and Target will be closed Thursday.

"I have been in there the past couple of days and the parking lot was so full you couldn't even park so a lot of people are doing last minute shopping," Bloomington resident Earl Jex said.

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is of course when shoppers hope to score those holiday deals.

Every person WCCO talked to said they would prefer that employees get to be home with their families on Thanksgiving and save Black Friday deals for the actual day Friday.

"I try to stay out of the stores on those days, to relieve stress on those dedicated workers," one shopper said.

Lunds and Byerlys will be closed both on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, as a thank you to employees. So if the holiday shopping rush in stores isn't your thing, there's always Cyber Monday.

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