Today we received a lot of information concerning store hours and offers from Sears and Kmart for Thanksgiving and Black Friday, via a press release from Sears Holdings Corporation, the parent company of both entities. They announced store hours, free shipping requirements and other pertinent information for the holiday season.

Sears Update:

It’s official, Sears will have its earliest opening ever, joining other big retailers opening up at 6:00 PM on Thanksgiving, which is November 27. They will remain open until the end of the business day on Friday, November 28. Sears is announcing this as a bonus for customers to shop offers earlier than ever before, but in reality it’s a necessity for them to open this early in order to keep pace with competitors. We expect their ad scan to be released in the coming weeks as today their Black Friday Mattress & Furniture Doorbusters ad leaked which you can see right here.

In addition to their store hours, it was also announced that Sears will be once again be continuing their Sears Family & Friends Event for 2014. This is a sale they run every year that gives shoppers an opportunity to get a look at some Black Friday-like deals nearly two weeks before the big day.

This year the sale will run on Sunday, November 9 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Discounts will be available on apparel and footwear, appliances, and tools. On top of the already reduced prices you can get another 5 to 15 percent off for the Sears Family & Friends Event! If you are looking to shop this sale online, some additional products will be available from Saturday, November 8 at 6:00 PM CST until Tuesday, November 11 at 9:00 PM CST.

Kmart Update:

It turns out, earlier rumors we heard about Kmart opening at 8:00 AM on Thanksgiving were a bit off. Kmart has officially announced they will open at 6:00 AM on Thanksgiving! On top of that, they will remain open for 42 hours straight and close at midnight on Friday. What a whirlwind of hours this will be for their employees. We guess Kmart employees will just have to sacrifice their holiday so Kmart can continue their “23-year tradition as a destination for early-bird shopping and last-minute entertaining needs on Thanksgiving”.

The press release also reminds us that Kmart is running its “No Money Down Layaway” event until November 15. This is a promotion that members really loved, so Kmart listened and brought it back. Nearly every product, with no minimum, can be put on layaway. And if you happen to be a Shop Your Way Member, you have the opportunity to save 5 percent on home items, toys, jewelry, and sporting goods.

Kmart and Sears Are Having Similar Sales

Since the same parent company owns both Sears and Kmart, a lot of their holiday news is the same. Here is important information to take into consideration for the holiday season for both stores.

Store Hours: Certain states like Maine, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Puerto Rico have laws that prohibit Sears and Kmart to be open on Thanksgiving. Therefore in these states, stores will open on Friday. Kmart and Sears will open at 12:30 AM on Friday in Maine, Rhode Island and Massachusetts and 12:00 AM on Friday in Puerto Rico. Some local laws may cause these store hours to be different so please be sure to call the store you intend to shop at a few days before you intend to go.

Free Store Pickup: Both Sears and Kmart will offer free store pickup for the holiday season. You can order online and receive the merchandise at your local store for free. Upon your arrival, your order should be ready in less than five minutes.

Free Shipping: There will be free shipping for online orders of $59 or more. Shop Your Way MAX members receive free two-day shipping.

Overall Outlook

Sears Holdings Corporation is looking to make a big splash with the 2014 holiday season and they really could use it. Previously, we reported the closings of over 200 stores this year and struggling sales figures. If Sears and Kmart want to be around for Black Friday 2015 and beyond they really need to reinvent themselves and take initiative to really connect with shoppers for the remaining of 2014. The release of their Black Friday and Thanksgiving ads will give them this opportunity, but unfortunately, our gut tells us they’ll miss the mark.