While it is still only October, Black Friday is already on their minds of many Americans. With an uncertain economy, it is more important than ever to ensure you are getting the best possible prices for your holiday purchases.

In recent years, many major retailers have been opening their doors on Thanksgiving Day. While this offers shoppers another opportunity to enjoy deep discounts, there are a few drawbacks. In addition to hundreds of thousands of retail workers being forced to spend Thanksgiving away from their friends and families, it also puts additional pressure on shoppers to show up at their favorite store on Turkey Day in order to not miss any discounts.

Mall of America isn't the only place closing on Thanksgiving: List of retailers that won't be open. https://t.co/jJnSrAr5nJ (Photo: AP) pic.twitter.com/yTTt0wI9mj — USA TODAY Money (@USATODAYmoney) October 6, 2016

While many stores will be open on Thanksgiving this year, others are pushing back. As of today, over 40 retailers have already confirmed their plans to close on Thanksgiving Day 2016, and many more could be joining them, as reported by BestBlackFriday.com.

Disclaimer: The author, Phillip Dengler, is the owner of BestBlackFriday.com, which is referenced in this article. The Inquisitr holds no ownership.

Here is the current list.

A.C. Moore

American Girl

AT&T (Customer Service Closed; Select Retail Locations Closed)

Barnes & Noble

Bed Bath & Beyond (Select Locations)

BJ’s Wholesale Club

Burlington

Cabela’s (Retail closed; Call Centers Open)

Christmas Tree Shops (Select Locations)

Costco

Crate and Barrel

Dillard’s

GameStop

Gardner-White Furniture

Guitar Center

Hobby Lobby

Home Depot

HomeGoods

IKEA

Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores

Lowe’s

Mall of America

Marshalls

Mattress Firm

Menards

Neiman Marcus

Nordstrom (non-store employees working )

Outdoor Research

P.C. Richard & Son

Patagonia

Petco

PetSmart

Pier 1 Imports

Publix

Raymour and Flanagan Furniture

Sam’s Club

Sierra Trading Post

Staples

The Container Store

T.J. Maxx

Tractor Supply

Von Maur

Why Are Stores Closing on Thanksgiving?

Every retailer has their own reasons for making the difficult decision to close on Thanksgiving, but it appears as though the employees are the top factor. In speaking to over 40 stores, the common theme has been “so employees and customers can spend Thanksgiving with their friends and families.” Other stores told us the reason is so their Black Friday sale can receive more of the focus this year.

Regardless of the reason, there are countless groups attempting to raise awareness and force more stores to close on Thanksgiving. One such group is called Boycott Black Thursday. With nearly 140,000 likes on Facebook, their followers believe that every store should be closed on Thanksgiving and the day should not be spent shopping.

While some stores are still holding firm, it appears their efforts are causing real change among retailers. As the Star Tribune reported, the Mall of America, which is the largest mall in the United States, will be closed on Thanksgiving. They first opened on Thanksgiving in 2012, and they have been opening earlier every year since.

Even though the mall will be closed, the over 500 stores located inside the mall will have the option to open, according to the Los Angeles Times. If stores do decide to open, select security and maintenance workers may be called to work on Thanksgiving. Regardless, it is believed that most of the stores will remain closed and up to 14,000 employees will be able to spend the holiday with their friends and families.

What About Stores Like Walmart, Best Buy, and Target?

While more stores are likely to close on Thanksgiving, it is unlikely that Walmart, Best Buy, and Target join the list — there is just too much competition. In addition to those stores, Kohl’s, Kmart, Sears, and Macy’s are all likely to remain open on Thanksgiving. The general opening time is usually around 6 p.m., but Kmart has been known to offer doorbusters as early as 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning.

Stores that remain closed on Thanksgiving should still have online sales and doorbusters, so you will have an opportunity to shop on their websites if you want to take advantage of their deals.

[Featured Image by Joshua Lott/Getty Images]