Kmart extends hours to match competitors

-- Home Textiles Today, 11/24/2004 9:36:00 AM

TROY, Mich. — Looking to beat out some of its toughest competitors, many of which are extending store hours Friday to kick-start Christmas shopping, Kmart is keeping its store doors open Thanksgiving Day from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Kmart will open again Friday from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. and on Saturday, from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m.

Company executives and management personnel will be working in stores throughout the holiday weekend in their respective communities. They will assist customers and associates by bagging merchandise, acting as greeters, retrieving carts and restocking shelves, according to Kmart.

"Being in-store during an extremely busy shopping day is the best way to help our customers and associates during the holiday season," said Aylwin Lewis, Kmart president and CEO.

Both Wal-Mart and Target are extending their store hours starting Friday, when doors open at both retailers at 6 a.m.

On its Web site, Target is offering a celebrity wake-up call service. Shoppers can pick model/actress Heidi Klum, Star Wars villain Lord Vader, rapper/actor Ice-T or actor Cheech Marin — or any of six other personalities — to send them a prerecorded wake-up call reminding them of early shopping hours.