If you know anything about me you know my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. I love the sharing of food among friends and family. I love the cool fall weather. I love leftovers being eaten while watching the third mediocre football game that night. It turns out that more and more retailers are recognizing the importance of Thanksgiving too. Many are closing their doors and letting their employees enjoy the holiday. That now includes the area's largest grocery store chain.

Yes, mighty Hy-Vee has announced that they will close all of their retail locations on Thanksgiving Day, according to KCRG. That is 285 stores closed on November 24th. It will mark the first time in the history of the company that stores will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. KCRG reports that Hy-Vee CEO Jeremy Gosch said in a statement that the company can give back to employees by allowing them to focus on their own celebrations.

Thanksgiving Day is about gratitude. The last several years have been some of the most challenging our employees have experienced and this is our way of showing our appreciation for everything they do on a daily basis to serve our customers. By closing our stores on Thanksgiving Day, we can give back to our employees by providing them time to focus on their own celebrations.

If you have travel plans on Thanksgiving Day, don't worry. KCRG reports that you will still be able to fill up at the pump at all Hy-Vee Fast and Fresh locations that day. If you ordered a Thanksgiving holiday meal from Hy-Vee you can schedule a pick-up prior to November 24th, or curbside pickup at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. the day of.

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