By Marisa Fusinski, WWJ Webmaster
DETROIT (WWJ) - Where will you be at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day?
Watching football with the in-laws? Carving the turkey? Lounging on the couch, post-pigout?
Some in Metro Detroit will be shopping.
As the holiday approaches, many malls across southeast Michigan are releasing their Black Friday hours — while others are announcing they’ll be open on Thursday, Nov. 28: Thanksgiving Day.
Bloomfield Hills-based Taubman Centers on Tuesday announced Great Lakes Crossing Outlets in Auburn Hills will open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving.
Fairlane Town Center in Dearborn and Twelve Oaks mall in Novi will open at 8 p.m.
Officials at Taubman say they’re opening earlier this year at the request of customers — but also retailers, who are dealing with a shorter holiday shopping season.
Taubman’s Director of Communications Karen MacDonald said opening on the holiday was not an easy decision to make.
“We give our holiday hours a lot of thought and discussion, and we are reflective of the requests from our retailers and our customers,” MacDonald told WWJ Newsradio 950. “Some like it; (for) some it’s a tradition to get out there and shop early.”
“Some would prefer to stay home and digest their meal, which is fine as well,” she added.
Bon-Ton stores, with locations at the Village of Rochester Hills, Laurel Park Place in Livonia and The Mall at Partridge Creek in Clinton Twp., announced they will open at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving offering 500 in-store “door-buster” deals.
You’ll have to wait a bit to shop the rest of Partridge Creek, which will open at 6 a.m. on Black Friday.
Both Macy’s and Sears announced they will be offering “door-busters” beginning on Thanksgiving at 8 p.m. to Black Friday at 1 p.m.; Target will be open on Thanksgiving, likely from 8 p.m.; and Kmart will be open on Thanksgiving at 6 a.m., offering special deals though Black Friday at 11 p.m.; and JCPenney stores announced they will open on Thanksgiving at 8 p.m.
As the holiday shopping season has been beginning earlier and earlier — most notably over the last three years — reaction has been mixed.
“If the sales are good, I’ll absolutely be out there shopping,” David Ballard wrote on WWJ’s Facebook page. “Most sales started at 10pm last year. It’s not like people are eating their meals that late anyways.”
Keith Eagles weighed in: “No thanks, me and my family will be enjoying a home cooked meal and spending time with each other.”
Last year, more than 155,000 people signed an online petition on change.org asking retail giant Target to reverse its decision to open its doors on Thanksgiving Day — and allow workers to spend the holiday with family and friends.
Facebook groups have popped up calling for an end to the phenomena, and a page titled “Say No To Shopping on Thanksgiving” has amassed over 22,400 “likes.”
As of Tuesday, Meijer, Toys R Us, Walmart and Walgreens hadn’t yet announced their holiday hours, but all three were open on Thanksgiving last year and were expected to be again.
Are you opposed to stores opening on Thanksgiving Day? Do you plan to be out shopping? Comment below.
[MORE: Best Local Shops To Visit On Black Friday In Detroit]
