Some gobble down turkey, then shop to start holiday season

Many of the nation's mall operators and the big retailers that anchor them, such as J.C. Penney and Macy's, are sticking with what they would like to see established as a new Thanksgiving tradition.

[...] many workers complain that stores are putting profits over workers' time to be with their families, and some shoppers vow never to shop on the holiday.

Consumer electronics chain hhgregg Inc. and the Mall of America in Minnesota are closed on Thanksgiving after opening on the holiday in the past.

While there's still some concern about how the fractious political environment may affect shoppers' behavior, store executives point to an improving economy and solid job market as reasons to be optimistic.

Around 137 million people plan to or are considering doing their shopping during the Thanksgiving weekend, according to a survey conducted for the NRF.