Mall of America will close on Thanksgiving

For a growing number of American consumers, Black Friday has become a holiday in itself—one that has increasingly taken over Thanksgiving.

However, the Mall of America wants no part in that tradition this year.

On Wednesday, the mall announced in a press release that it would stay closed on Thanksgiving:

Mall of America, the largest retail and entertainment destination in North America, will remain closed on Thanksgiving Day this year in an effort to give the holiday back to the 15,000 employees who dedicate their time to millions of guests each year.

In a letter sent to Mall of America employees and tenants Wednesday morning, Mall of America Executive Vice President, Rich Hoge and Senior Vice President of Marketing, Jill Renslow shared, “In years past we’ve all rallied together to answer the call for 24/7 shopper access that the Thanksgiving/Black Friday weekend brings. However, it also meant that team members may not have been able to share the day with family and friends. That is why this year we have made the decision to close on Thanksgiving Day so that team members can put that energy where it matters most, into making memories with the people they care about most.”