Hy-Vee to be closed on Thanksgiving Day

[cigaretteman]

Hy-Vee will close its more than 285 stores for Thanksgiving Day for the first time in its history, the West Des Moines-based retailer said in a news release.


The decision includes all Hy-Vee grocery stores, Dollar Fresh Markets, Hy-Vee Fast and Fresh, Wall to Wall Wine and Spirits, and Hy-Vee Wine and Spirits venues, the chain said.


Customers be able to pay at the pump for fuel at Hy-Vee Fast and Fresh stations.


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Customers who order holiday meal packs will be able to schedule a time to pick up their purchases in-store before the holiday, or at curbside from 8 to 11 a.m. on Thursday, Thanksgiving, Day at Hy-Vee grocery stores, according to the release.


“Thanksgiving Day is about gratitude,” Jeremy Gosch, Hy-Vee CEO and president, said in the release.


“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.”

Hy-Vee to be closed on Thanksgiving Day

Hy-Vee will close its more than 285 stores for Thanksgiving Day for the first time in its history, the West Des Moines-based retailer said

www.thegazette.com

 

[Jerome Silberman]

Good move, but I don't buy this as an altruistic move for their employees. I imagine they just don't have the staffing levels. Similar to them going away from the 24hr model.

 

[Moral]

Good move, but I don't buy this as an altruistic move for their employees. I imagine they just don't have the staffing levels. Similar to them going away from the 24hr model.

I miss the days of 24 hour stores.

 

[Jerome Silberman]

I miss the days of 24 hour stores.

Me too, it was nice to be able to go in with terrible bloodshot eyes to get armloads of junk food and not be judged by Tammy the day clerk and the unyielding power of the sun. Those overnight cats knew the drill and never judged.

 

[SSG T]

I miss the days of 24 hour stores.

As someone who worked at one in HS, and did night stock during summers, I hated the 24hr stores. PITA to have people walking through the aisles while you were trying to put 4-5 pallets of product in an aisle.

 

[Bro D]

Damn it, now I actually have to get pies ahead of time on my way to the family? The heck

 

[beanerhawk]

It's about time the did this, no reason for them to make people work on Thanksgiving.

 

[stillh8unlv]

They can be closed every day as far as I'm concerned.... overpriced and completely lost their way over the last couple years.....

....I know, I know.....'hot take'

 

[Colonoscopy]

I miss the days of 24 hour stores.

Yeah. Always me and that one weird dude buying eggs, lotion, and doritos at 1:30 in the morning.

 

[Fijimn]

It's about time the did this, no reason for them to make people work on Thanksgiving.

You're a laborer, you should be laboring....that's what you get for not having an education.

 

[beanerhawk]

Your a laborer, you should be laboring....that's what you get for not having an education.

That's funny.

In all seriousness, it's 90% kids from 16 to 20 working. Just dumb, let them hang out with their families.

 

[Fijimn]

That's funny.

In all seriousness, it's 90% kids from 16 to 20 working. Just dumb, let them hang out with their families.

Yeah - my tongue was firmly planted in my cheek. I just get a chuckle from that line in Real Genius.

 

[Bonerfarts]

This is great, as someone who worked for Hy-vee for years, it's long overdue. With that being said, there are going to be some upset customers that forgot/ran out of an item or two and won't be able to pick it up for their meals. Thanksgiving morning was typically the busiest time of the year, Hy-vee is leaving a lot money on the table. I'm surprised they aren't closing at 11:00am and it's the whole day.

 

[beanerhawk]

Yeah - my tongue was firmly planted in my cheek. I just get a chuckle from that line in Real Genius.

I love that movie, probably watched it 100 times as a teenager.

 

[Jerome Silberman]

Yeah. Always me and that one weird dude buying eggs, lotion, and doritos at 1:30 in the morning.

My name is Tim

 

[Jerome Silberman]

This is great, as someone who worked for Hy-vee for years, it's long overdue. With that being said, there are going to be some upset customers that forgot/ran out of an item or two and won't be able to pick it up for their meals. Thanksgiving morning was typically the busiest time of the year, Hy-vee is leaving a lot money on the table. I'm surprised they aren't closing at 11:00am and it's the whole day.

Ope!

 

[GOHOX69]

I miss the days of 24 hour stores.

You could run into some legit zombie freakers during the witching hours. I mean legit grifter/possible serial killer types.

 

[Fijimn]

I love that movie, probably watched it 100 times as a teenager.

Well...then I can presume you can hammer a 6-inch spike through a board with your penis.

 

[ping72]

Great move.

 

[bhawk24bob]

I miss the days of 24 hour stores.

I miss the days of 24 hour diners

 

[95Hawk]

Better get your overpriced fixings from them on Wednesday, November 23, then.

 

[DooBi]

This is a good move for the employees and its getting great reaction on social media which is something hyvee desperately needs. That said, I worked every Thanksgiving and it was always very busy. Hyvee provided a service to the community on that day that others couldn't. I don't care about the sales, but I care that we will not be able to take care of the customers like we should.

 

[lucas80]

You could run into some legit zombie freakers during the witching hours. I mean legit grifter/possible serial killer types.

If that's what you want to see just go to Wal-Mart.
Except add in, freezers and zombies, and some weirdo mom pushing a cart with a screaming 2 year old through the aisles at 3 am.

 

[lucas80]

Good move, but I don't buy this as an altruistic move for their employees. I imagine they just don't have the staffing levels. Similar to them going away from the 24hr model.

This has way more to do with it. They are having trouble hiring and retaining workers. Look for more companies to do this.

 

[IowaHawkIT]

Our Hy-Vee just went to all self-checkout a few weeks ago. Corporate apparently came in and implemented it all after hours. It's been the talk of the town and an absolute disaster. People hate it.

 

[EasyHawk]

I saw this posted on FB and there were hundreds of comments, so I dived in. Apparently, this is mostly for the grocery portion of the stores. Many floral areas are open as are the kitchens for all the meal prep and pickups. People order their entire Thanksgiving feast from Hy-Vee and then pick it up at 11AM or Noon or whatever, up to 2pm. Many people still have to work 6AM to 2PM it sounds like. But definitely is a good move and nice for many employees. Ours recently went to mostly self-checkout but always a couple lanes for checkout. I much prefer self checkout. I do not like those coughing, hair scratching people touching my stuff.

 

[ANYCHawk]

Good move, but I don't buy this as an altruistic move for their employees. I imagine they just don't have the staffing levels. Similar to them going away from the 24hr model.

As someone who worked plenty of thanksgivings in a grocery store, staffing wasn't really a problem. You could get overtime or holiday pay for very little work. Every person who came in, it was to get one thing. One can of gravy. Whoops need a pie ours burnt. Whoops wife forgot to buy yams. Etc etc. So for employees its a lot less work than typical. It's also a good for people to have a place to go get those things that run out/forget.

I prefer the half-day model for grocery stores on thanksgiving. Be open to noon or 1 then let employees go have time with family. If customers forgot something it gives them a chance to get it, employees can make some extra bucks and still have most of teh day with families.

 

[hawkifann]

It's about time the did this, no reason for them to make people work on Thanksgiving.

I worked HyVee in high school and college and I always liked getting the time-and-a-half pay on Thanksgiving. I’d usually volunteer for an early shift and put in a 6-1pm or something and then get home for most of the football and dinner.

 

[luvmyhawks]

As someone who worked plenty of thanksgivings in a grocery store, staffing wasn't really a problem. You could get overtime or holiday pay for very little work. Every person who came in, it was to get one thing. One can of gravy. Whoops need a pie ours burnt. Whoops wife forgot to buy yams. Etc etc. So for employees its a lot less work than typical. It's also a good for people to have a place to go get those things that run out/forget.

I prefer the half-day model for grocery stores on thanksgiving. Be open to noon or 1 then let employees go have time with family. If customers forgot something it gives them a chance to get it, employees can make some extra bucks and still have most of teh day with families.

Another one who has put their fair share of time in a grocery store. While those morning were busy, people were mostly in a good mood, pay was awesome and I was out in plenty of time to spend rest of the day with friends and family. Never had a problem working on Thanksgiving morning. If I remember right, we already received full holiday pay for the day, plus time and a half for the hours worked that day.

 

[DooBi]

I saw this posted on FB and there were hundreds of comments, so I dived in. Apparently, this is mostly for the grocery portion of the stores. Many floral areas are open as are the kitchens for all the meal prep and pickups. People order their entire Thanksgiving feast from Hy-Vee and then pick it up at 11AM or Noon or whatever, up to 2pm. Many people still have to work 6AM to 2PM it sounds like. But definitely is a good move and nice for many employees. Ours recently went to mostly self-checkout but always a couple lanes for checkout. I much prefer self checkout. I do not like those coughing, hair scratching people touching my stuff.

I'm betting the meal pickup is because this was announced so late. I bet next year people will have to pick up their meals the day before. By now there are probably dozens of orders per store already scheduled to pick up Thursday. No way to make all those people change their plans at this point.

 

[Bonerfarts]

Our Hy-Vee just went to all self-checkout a few weeks ago. Corporate apparently came in and implemented it all after hours. It's been the talk of the town and an absolute disaster. People hate it.

Ours is half and half. I never use a person now. The Hy-vee in Iowa City was a test for them 20 years ago when I was there. I loved them as an employee (also love them as a customer). Once customers train themselves on it and get used to it, it is much faster for everyone. 1 employee can watch over at least 4 lanes (probably more), and a self-checkout doesn't call in sick or offend the trashy customers.

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

Where am I going to pick up last minute stuff my wife forgot?

 

[JRHawk2003]

I worked overnight stock at Econofoods right after college for a spell.