CBL Properties, which owns and operates more than 70 malls nationwide, is telling its tenants that mall doors will be closed and locked this year for Thanksgiving, the company announced this week.
Reversing a trend of stores and shops opening for Black Friday deals on Thanksgiving Thursday, CBL Properties' malls will remain closed all day Thanksgiving, with doors unlocking at 6 a.m. on Black Friday.
The only businesses allowed to open on mall property are those with separate entrances, such as major anchor stores like JCPenney and Macy's.
“The support that we received last year when we made this decision was overwhelmingly positive,” said Stephen Lebovitz, President and CEO, CBL Properties, “It is based on this feedback from our retail partners, employees of CBL and retailers at our properties, as well as the customers in our markets that we made the decision to again close our centers on Thanksgiving Day.”
This is the second straight year CBL has opted to close on Thanksgiving. In 2012, CBL's centers opened at midnight on Black Friday. From 2013 through 2015, the malls were open Thanksgiving evening.
Click here for a list of CBL properties.
