Here’s your Black Friday shopping guide to malls and major stores in the Triangle

For traditionalists who revel in a tangible retail experience, 2020’s beleaguered Black Friday may have sullied the holiday shopping season. But this year’s iteration of the famous deal-day promises a partial return to normalcy.

That’s not to say you should expect the late-night, tryptophan-sozzled crowds of pre-pandemic Thanksgivings, nor throngs of urban campers staking out their places in line. While COVID-19 restrictions have largely subsided, most retailers are planning subdued versions of the typically frenzied sales bonanza. And almost every business in our list below has already rolled out some Black Friday deals.

“We began offering holiday deals in October for those looking to shop early and we’re continuing to deliver big savings all season long, including Black Friday week,” Christina Hennington, executive vice president and chief growth officer at Target, said in a press release.

In years past, many shoppers began their Black Friday spending sprees on Thursday — but no longer. To improve work-life balance for their employees, all but one store in our roundup (Big Lots) will be closed on Thanksgiving.

“Closing our stores on Thanksgiving Day is one way we’re saying ‘thank you’ to our teams for their dedication and hard work this year,” Dacona Smith, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Walmart U.S., said in a release. “We hope everyone will take the opportunity to be with their loved ones during what’s always a special time.”

Don’t forget your locally owned shops

Many of the nation’s largest retailers are battling supply shortages, as The News & Observer reported. Truncated hours will help businesses avoid totally empty shelves, but supply chain congestion could still limit product availability. To circumvent the issue, holiday shoppers might consider locally owned alternatives to national franchises and chains.

“North Carolina retailers are geared up for this holiday season,” Andy Ellen, president and general counsel of North Carolina Retail Merchants Association, said in a press release. “For our independent retail store owners in small town North Carolina, the holiday shopping season is an extremely important time. For many of them, holiday sales will help them finish the year successfully. They are excited to welcome customers into their stores.”

For a list of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday specials from local merchants, check out shoplocalraleigh.org.

To help plot your course between the most common Black Friday favorites, The N&O has you covered. Here are Black Friday hours for the Triangle’s hottest destinations, all in one place.

Hours for Triangle shopping malls

Crabtree Valley Mall

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., though some individual store hours may differ

The Streets at Southpoint

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., though some individual store hours may differ

Triangle Town Center

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., though some individual store hours may differ

Black Friday hours for department stores

Belk

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Dillard’s

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

JCPenney

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Kohl’s

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 5 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.

Macy’s

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.

Nordstrom

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Black Friday hours at big box stores

Best Buy

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Big Lots

• Thanksgiving: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Black Friday: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Dick’s Sporting Goods

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

HomeGoods

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Marshalls

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Ross Dress for Less

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 7 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

Target

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

T.J. Maxx

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Walmart

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.

World Market

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Black Friday hours at wholesale clubs

BJ’s

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Costco

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Sam’s Club

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Black Friday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Lars Dolder

The News & Observer

Lars Dolder is editor of The News & Observer’s Insider, a state government news service. He oversees the product’s exclusive content and works with The N&O’s politics desk on investigative projects. He previously worked on The N&O’s business desk covering retail, technology and innovation.