Nov. 07--Woodfield and Orland Square malls announced Thursday they will open at 6 p.m. Thanksgiving Day, joining Macy's, Sears, Kohl's and Staples in pushing their opening time two hours earlier.
Woodfield, in Schaumburg, will remain open until 10 p.m. Black Friday, the traditional kickoff to the holiday shopping season. Orland Square will close at 1 a.m. Friday and reopen at 6 a.m.
That doesn't mean all the stores in the malls will be open. It is up to individual retailers to determine their hours.
Water Tower Place, which last year was closed on Thanksgiving except for its Mity Nice restaurant, also plans to open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving, though hours for individual stores will vary. Oakbrook Center and Northbrook Court are expected to have similar policies, said a spokesman for General Growth Properties, which owns the three malls. American Girl Place inside Water Tower Place will remain closed on Thanksgiving.
Many malls and major retailers are pushing their Thanksgiving hours earlier as shopping eats into time usually reserved for pecan pie. J.C. Penney announced this week that it is opening at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving, three hours earlier than last year. Kmart is opening at 6 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, same as last year.
The trend has provoked some protest.
A Facebook group named Boycott Black Thursday encourages shoppers to spend their money at stores that will not open on Thanksgiving to "protect the employees, protect the family." It lists 25 stores that have stated they will not open on Thanksgiving, including DSW, Costco, Nordstom, Crate and Barrel and The Home Depot.
aelejalderuiz@tribune.com
