Ah, Thanksgiving — a day meant for counting your blessings, enjoying a meal or two with loved ones, and...rushing out the door to get your hands on some insane discounts?

The deal-driven chaos that is Black Friday has slowly crept into Turkey Day over the years, as retailers battle to open their doors earlier than the competition and attract shoppers who'd pick a helping of savings over a helping of mashed potatoes.

But many big names continue to resist the trend. Some retailers, in response to criticism from consumers and employees, are deciding to stay closed on Thanksgiving 2017 for the first time in a while.

"It seems like a very good move," said Dr. Carol Kaufman-Scarborough, a marketing professor at Rutgers-Camden. "There's somewhat of a return to the importance of spending the holidays together."

Kaufman-Scarborough said retailers are seeing an uptick in revenue on Thanksgiving Day, but it's mostly coming from online purchases.

Given the availability of discounts online, and other big deal dates such as Cyber Monday, being the first to open on Black Friday or Thanksgiving isn't as relevant today, she said.

The website BestBlackFriday.com runs a regularly-updated list of retailers who've confirmed their lights will be off on Nov. 24. Here are the names with locations in New Jersey (as of Oct. 13):

  • A.C. Moore
  • BJ's Wholesale Club
  • Burlington
  • Cabela's
  • Cost Plus World Market
  • Costco
  • Crate and Barrel
  • DSW
  • Ethan Allen
  • Guitar Center
  • H&M
  • Harbor Freight
  • Hobby Lobby
  • Home Depot
  • HomeGoods
  • Homesense
  • IKEA
  • JOANN Fabric and Craft Stores
  • Jos. A Bank
  • LA-Z-BOY (corporate-owned locations)
  • Lowe's
  • Marshalls
  • Mattress Firm
  • Micro Center
  • Music & Arts
  • Neiman Marcus
  • Nordstrom
  • Nordstrom Rack
  • Office Depot and OfficeMax
  • P.C. Richard & Son
  • Party City
  • Petco
  • PetSmart
  • Pier 1 Imports
  • Raymour & Flanagan Furniture
  • Sam's Club
  • Sear's Hometown Stores
  • Sierra Trading Post
  • Sprint (mall kiosks may open)
  • Staples
  • Stein Mart
  • Sur La Table
  • The Container Store
  • TJ Maxx
  • Tractor Supply
  • Trollbeads
  • West Marine

Other major retailers are expected to close but have not yet confirmed, the site noted.

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Contact reporter Dino Flammia at dino.flammia@townsquaremedia.com.

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