Here’s when stores open for Black Friday ... and why I refuse to shop that day
I love Thanksgiving.
Life gets hectic balancing work and meetings and family and hanging out with friends and on and on and on. This is the one time of year when I get to step away from the madness and truly relax (and eat delicious food).
So the last thing I want to do is ruin that relaxation by getting up early — or stepping away from the Thanksgiving dinner table — to shop on Black Friday.
I don’t get the appeal. At all. I can’t stand crowds. I get angry and frustrated in crowds of people. You should see me at amusement parks and malls. It’s not pretty. This is my hell:
(Sidenote: When I searched for “Black Friday videos,” Rebecca Black’s “Friday” came up. Still a great song.)
Most stores have similar deals online (hello, Cyber Monday). I’m much happier buying things on my couch, in my underwear.
And, a lot of times, the deals aren’t even that good. Sure, you could get a big TV for like $150 but, as this CNET story points out, that TV is probably from a low-end manufacturer and is cheap in price and quality. BUT IT’S ON SALE AND I WAITED 3 HOURS FOR IT! No thanks.
And now those Black Friday sales are encroaching on Thanksgiving Day. Not cool.
The Panthers game will be on when the malls around here open, and I’m not missing that. If you don’t care about the Panthers, 4-6 p.m. is prime nap/eat-a-leftover-turkey-sandwich time. Don’t let it go to waste.
Why are these stores opening on Thanksgiving Day? Because they know people will show up. How do you stop this from happening? By not showing up.
Can’t we just have one day where we’re not obsessed with buying stuff? Just one day. That’s all I ask. Go for a walk with your family instead. Or watch a movie. Or play a board game (remember those?). Use that time to volunteer, or give that money to your favorite local charity.
Do something fun with the people you love. That’s worth more than an off-brand TV.
If you just can’t resist hitting the sales, here are when stores will be opening for Black Friday, thanks to Observer reporter Katie Peralta.
Open on Thanksgiving and Black Friday
– SouthPark mall: 6 p.m. Thursday to 1 a.m.; 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday
– Concord Mills: 6 p.m. Thursday through 9:30 p.m. Friday.
– Charlotte Premium Outlets: 6 p.m. Thursday through 10 p.m. Friday.
– Carolina Place Mall: 6 p.m.-midnight Thursday; 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday
– Eastridge Mall: 6 p.m. Thursday through 10 p.m. Friday.
– Monroe Crossing: 6 p.m.-midnight Thursday; 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday
– Rock Hill Galleria: 6 p.m. Thursday through 10 p.m. Friday.
– Northlake Mall: 6 p.m.-midnight Thursday; 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday
– Kohl’s: 6 p.m. Thursday through midnight Friday
– Macy’s: 6 p.m. Thursday through 10 p.m. Friday
– Target: 6 p.m. Thursday through 11 p.m. or midnight Friday
– Belk: 6 p.m. Thursday through 10 p.m. Friday
– H.H. Gregg: 4 p.m.-midnight Thursday; 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday
– Best Buy: 5 p.m. Thursday to 1 a.m.; 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday
– Toys R Us: 5 p.m. Thursday through 11 p.m. Friday
– J.C. Penney: 3 p.m. Thursday through 10 p.m. Friday
– Sears: 6 p.m. Thursday to 2 a.m.; reopens 5 a.m. Friday
– Kmart: 6 p.m. Thursday
– Radioshack: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday; reopens 8 a.m. Friday
– Dick’s Sporting Goods: 6 p.m. Thursday to 2 a.m.; reopens 5 a.m. Friday
– Sports Authority: 6 p.m. Thursday to midnight; reopens 6 a.m. Friday
Closed on Thanksgiving, open Black Friday:
– Dillard’s: 8 a.m.-9 p.m.
– Nordstrom: 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
– Academy Sports: 5 a.m.-10 p.m.
– TJ Maxx: 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
– HomeGoods: 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
– Marshalls: 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
Photo: Robert Lahser/Charlotte Observer
This story was originally published November 24, 2015 at 9:00 PM with the headline "Here’s when stores open for Black Friday ... and why I refuse to shop that day."