Thanksgiving break is approaching, which means it’s time for food, family, and “awing” at your screen at the National Dog Show. Throughout the break, families come together to watch parades, and cook a feast ranging from pumpkin pie, turkey, and Mac & Cheese (my personal favorite). However, Thanksgiving also comes with the biggest shopping event of the year: Black Friday. 

Black Friday, which began in 1951, begins the month-long shopping event, where stores dock their prices, in hopes shoppers will take advantage of these deals, buying for the winter holiday and personal leisure. The deals continue into Cyber Monday, the online version of the event. 

Due to COVID-19, Black Friday is going to look different this year, though slightly more relaxed than last year’s event. To find out the changes this year’s Black Friday will entail, such as which stores are open on which days, the best deals of the year, and how to stay safe during retail’s largest shopping event, make sure to keep reading!

Which stores are open, when are they open, and what are their best deals?

1. Target: 

Closed Thanksgiving Day

Open Black Friday 7am

Savings run in-store and online

Target’s Best Deals:

•  $299.99 Element 65 4K UHD Frameless Roku Smart TV (reg. $649.99)
• Apple offers, including savings of up to $60 on Apple Watch and AirPods

2. Walmart

Closed Thanksgiving Day

Open Black Friday 5am

Walmart+ gives early access to savings

Walmart’s Best Deals

• Ninja 4QT Air Fryer at $69
• Beats Solo Pro Wireless $149 (originally $299, save $160)

3. King of Prussia Mall

Closed Thanksgiving Day

Open Black Friday 6 am-9 pm (select stores open)

King of Prussia’s best deals range throughout the mall

4. Home Depot

Open Thanksgiving Day 6 am-4 pm

Open Black Friday 6 am-9 pm

Deals last through December

Home Depot’s Best Deal: $1298 28.2 cu. ft. French Door Refrigerator in Stainless Steel (save $701)

5. Dick’s Sporting Goods

Closed Thanksgiving Day

Open Black Friday 5 am-10 pm

Offers a “Cyber Week”

DICK’s Best Deals:

• Up to 50% off Select Hoops
• Up to 50% off on apparel and footwear

6.  Best Buy

Open Thanksgiving Day 10 am-9 pm

Open Black Friday 10 am-9 pm

Same deals online and in-stores

Best Buy’s Best Deal: Up to $400 in savings on select Surface devices

7. Macy’s

Closed Thanksgiving Day

Open Black Friday 6 am-11:59 pm

Deals run until November 27th

Macy’s Best Deal: COACH Rambler Leather Crossbody $175 (regularly $350)

8. Ulta

Closed Thanksgiving Day

Open Black Friday 8 am

Deals end November 27th

Ulta’s Best Deal: 50% off select Colourpop, Bedhead, It’s a 10, Morphe, First Aid Beauty, and the Ulta Beauty Collection

9. GameStop

Open Thanksgiving Day 5 pm-9 pm

Open Black Friday 7 am-9 pm

Gamestop.com deals open Wednesday at 8 pm

GameStop’s Best Deal: Nintendo Switch with Neon Blue and Neon Red Joy-Con + Mario Kart 8 + 3-month membership $299 (compare price $649.99)

BONUS: Amazon

Deals run throughout Black Friday and into Cyber Monday

Prime members get special deals and shipping

Amazon’s Best Deals:

• iRobot Roomba i6+ for $549 (save $250.99)
• Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer Hot Air Brush for $34.88 (save $25.11)

How to be Safe

1. Wear a mask! If shopping in person, wearing a mask is a great way to protect yourself and the people around you. 
2. Avoid big groups, try shopping at hours not everyone will be there, such as late afternoon when many shoppers may have already completed their route. This will make it easier for you to navigate stores, as well as keep yourself safe in the process. 
3. Shop online! All of the stores above, as well as many not mentioned, offer the same or even better deals online. This allows you to get your shopping done safely and from the comfort of your own home. 
4. Order ahead: many stores offer pickups where you can still get the items you want without having to go in person to shop for them. This saves time and effort!

If you are participating in Black Friday deals, whether going into stores, or shopping online, be sure to have a plan, and to shop smartly. Plan ahead on which stores you want to shop at, and which items you may be interested in buying. Make sure not to fall for any scams, which may include unreasonable deals or questionable websites. Good luck, and shop on!