Letter to Kmart About Being Open on Thanksgiving

Dear Kmart,

I believe that your store provides products at a reasonable price, and that this benefits many people in my community. You kept the Raleigh, NC Capital Boulevard store open even when that area was depressed, which provided jobs for local people, and the ability of locals to benefit from your low-priced goods. As such, I have had a good impression of your organization.

With that in mind, I am disturbed to see that your Raleigh, NC Capital Boulevard store (and I assume others) will be open all day on Thanksgiving. You probably have dual motives, like any corporation. You have an obligation to maximize profits, which I don't object to. You also have a sense of obligation to the local community, and there are surely some who would like to see the store open on a holiday for their last-minute needs.

However, in this case, you also have two other obligations. One is to your employees. They deserve a break from the never-ending hustle and bustle of the modern working life. Your employees are also cheated out of time to spend with their families. The second obligation is to our nation and to do your part to preserve our American culture. Our culture prizes Thanksgiving as one of the oldest holidays of our nation. As more stores are open on this day, the character of the day is diminished.

I encourage you to not repeat this mistake next year. If you are planning on sending a form letter back, there is no need. I just want you to know how I, and other Americans like me, feel about your decision to keep stores open on Thanksgiving.

Kind regards,

Rev. Father Anastasios Hudson