Two Idaho Grocery Store Brands to Close All Locations on Thanksgiving Day 2024
Did you recently look at your calendar and do a double take? Sure, parts of the year seemed like they were dragging on but we’re still in disbelief that 2024 is almost over!
As we’re sitting down to write this article, the Albertsons in our neighborhood has already replaced most of the pumpkin spice products with peppermint or gingerbread flavored foods. It won’t belong before all the Reese’s pumpkins and candy corn finds its way to the discount rack.
READ MORE: Idaho Humane Society Says These Thanksgiving Foods Make Dogs Sick
While the endcap displays have skipped straight to Christmas, we know that there will eventually be aisles dedicated to everything you need to prepare the most important parts of a Thanksgiving feast: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce…all the things.
Of course, the final product doesn’t just appear out of nowhere. Behind the scenes, whoever you’ve tapped as your family’s master chef spent hours shopping, prepping, chopping, baking and roasting. It’s a lot of pressure and sometimes when you’re under pressure, you may forget an ingredient.
The good news? Most of the grocery stores in Idaho are open at least part of the day on Thanksgiving in case you need to run out for some last minute ingredients. Most, but not all.
At least two major grocery store chains have confirmed that they will be closed all day on Thanksgiving Day.
Walmart
For the majority of the company’s 62 years in business, they were at the center of the chaotic holiday shopping scenes you’d see on the local news. Over the years, their in-store Black Friday sales started earlier and earlier, eventually creeping into Thanksgiving Day. In 2019, in-store sales at Walmart stores across Idaho started at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving.
That all changed when the COVID-19 pandemic forced Walmart’s decision makers to make the call whether or not to offer doorbuster sales that attract large crowds during the height of the pandemic in 2020. Ultimately, they decided to sit Thanksgiving 2020 out.
Pandemic or no-pandemic, it was a decision that was well-received by employees. Walmart remained closed on Thanksgiving Day 2021, 2022 and 2023, too. Their CEO, John Furner, confirmed they’ll be doing the same in 2024 to allow their associates to spend time with their families.
While no one NEEDS to be shopping for big-screen smart TVs or PlayStation 5s on Thanksgiving, Walmart is an extremely popular grocery shopping destination in the Treasure Valley. If it’s your grocery store of choice and the one closest to your home, you may want to have Plan B in mind in case you forget the gravy, cranberry sauce or butter.
Trader Joe’s
This one is a little less disruptive, as Trader Joe’s only has two Idaho locations: one in Boise and one in Meridian. We imagine that doing all of your Thanksgiving shopping at Trader Joe’s would really hurt your wallet, but the chain is known for some cool fall specialty items. If you’re planning on bringing their spiced cider, caramel or fall-colored flowers to your family gathering, make sure you pick it up earlier in the week.
You won’t be able to pop in to pick them up on the way to your in-law’s house. Trader Joe’s is sticking by their decades-long tradition of being closed on Thanksgiving Day.
What Other Stores Are Closed on Thanksgiving?
Many retailers haven’t released their Thanksgiving or Black Friday hours yet, but these are the stores that will likely be closed on Thanksgiving Day.
25 Stores That Will Be Closed to Idaho Shoppers on Thanksgiving 2024
Gallery Credit: Marco
The Idaho Humane Society Says These 14 Thanksgiving Foods Could Make Your Dog Sick
Gallery Credit: Michelle Heart