BJ’s plans early Black Friday, new hires

BJ’s holiday plans include starting Black Friday early, shuttering stores Thanksgiving Day and adding new seasonal and permanent employees.

The membership warehouse club retailer is kicking off its official holiday promotion with an early bird savings event Nov. 4 -29. Black Friday savings will be available Nov. 16-29, while special five-day deals will be offered Nov. 25-29, and Cyber Week discounts will begin Cyber Monday, Nov. 29. All discounts will be offered while supplies last.

BJ’s Black Friday mailer will include QR codes throughout that customers can scan to go directly to the retailer’s e-commerce site, to view the latest pricing and an expanded selection of deals. Holiday deals will include special, limited-time discounts on smart TVs, mattresses, small appliances, and toys.

The retailer’s stores will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25. Customers will still have the option to shop Black Friday deals online at BJs.com on Thanksgiving Day. Stores will open at 7 a.m. on Black Friday, Nov. 26, 2021, and operate according to local holiday hours. BJ’s is also now hiring for a variety of seasonal, part-time and full-time positions.

Numerous other retailers have announced or begun early Black Friday promotions and/or said they will close stores on Thanksgiving Day. Black Friday has already started at Amazon, Target, Lowe’s, Best Buy, Sam’s Club, and Newegg. Retailers including Walmart and Macy’s will launch their Black Friday holiday discount promotions in early November.

Meanwhile, retailers including Walmart, Target, Macy’s, Lowe’s, Best Buy, Costco, Kohl’s, and Dick’s Sporting Goods have all announced their stores will be closed for Thanksgiving Day to let employees and customers enjoy the holiday with their families. This trend gained traction in November 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Outdoor gear retailer REI is even taking things a step further by closing its stores, corporate headquarters and warehouses on both Turkey Day and Black Friday, in a pre-pandemic tradition it began in 2015.

In a recent survey by shopping rewards app Shopkick, 70% of respondents expressed support retailers for closing their doors on Thanksgiving Day. However, 23% still plan to shop on the day, and 60% of those will shop in-store.

“We know our members are eager to get a headstart on their holiday shopping, so we’re launching our Black Friday savings earlier than ever this year,” said Paul Cichocki, executive VP, chief commercial officer, BJ’s Wholesale Club. “With our incredible deals on hundreds of items, our members can get everything they need to check off their holiday list in an easy one-stop shop. Plus, we’re helping our members get what they need when they need it with convenient digital shopping options, flexible payment options and an expanded selection on BJs.com.”

Headquartered in Westborough, Mass., BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings Inc. currently operates 222 wholesale club stores and 151 BJ's Gas locations in 17 states.