Kohl's laid down the gauntlet in announcing plans to stay open 179 straight hours until Christmas Eve. Outside of Toys "R" Us, the retailer appears to be largely alone in pushing extreme last-minute shopping hours.
Doors opened at 7 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 17 and will remain open until 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve. The 179-hour streak is up from 132 straight hours in 2014 and 108 in 2013.
The extended hours were offered as a convenience for procrastinators, accompanying early-bird specials on Black Saturday, Dec. 19 and buy online, pick up in-store services. Said Michelle Gass, Kohl's chief merchandise and customer officer, "We are opening our doors around-the-clock leading up to Christmas to give customers even more time to get their last-minute gifts."
Starting on Super Saturday, Toys "R" Us is open from 6 a.m. until 2 a.m., and then will remain open for a 39-hour stretch until 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve. The retailer had similar hours in 2014. Joe Venezia, SVP of store operations said in a statement, "Customers can complete their holiday shopping whenever it's convenient for them."
Source: Kohl’s Facebook page
Toys "R" Us also offered free shipping on online orders of $19 or more until 11:59 p.m. EST on Dec. 19 and free store pickup until 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
But while most Walmart stores are already open 24 hours, other retailers seem to be only showcasing extended hours in the final days.
From 2009 to 2013, Macy's had touted that a handful of its prominent stores would be open over 48-hours straight before Christmas Eve, but the practice stopped last year and apparently hasn't returned this year. At Macy's Herald Square this week, for instance, hours run from 7:00 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Wednesday and from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Target appears to be one of the few remaining open late on Christmas Eve, with its locations closing at either 10 p.m. or 11 p.m.
- Kohl's Opens Doors to Last-Minute Shoppers for More Than 170 Hours Straight - Kohl's Corp.
- Toys"R"Us Offers Extended Store Hours And Special Savings For Last-Minute Holiday Shopping - Toys"R"Us
- Shop Macy's for Last-Minute Holiday Gifts That Are Sure to Please Everyone on the List - Macy's
- Super Saturday: South Florida malls, stores extend holiday hours - Sun Sentinel