LEWISTON – Local shoppers who had hoped to get some deals before sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner were out of luck.

More than 50 people lined up outside Big Lots in Auburn Thursday morning, after seeing an advertisement that said the store was open Thanksgiving Day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The advertisement appeared in a Big Lots flier delivered with Wednesday’s Sun Journal. A similar flier, advertising Thanksgiving Day sales at Kmart, was distributed Thursday.

What both fliers failed to point out is that Maine doesn’t allow large retail stores to open on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.

“It was a flier we sent out nationally, but state law says we couldn’t open,” said the manager of Big Lots on Center Street.

Maine has always barred retail businesses with more than five employees and 5,000 square feet from opening on Sundays and legal holidays.

However, many exceptions have been added to the law over the years.

One exception allows malls and major retailers, such as Wal-Mart, Kmart and Big Lots, to open Sundays as long as they do not require employees to work that day.

Unless people agree when they are hired that they are willing to work Sundays, they cannot be forced to do so as a condition of their employment.

However, the same exception does not hold true for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. The law specifically states that any store with more than 5,000 square feet cannot open under any circumstance on those days.

The manager of Big Lots said signs were posted in the store’s windows a week and a half in advance, letting customers know that Big Lots would be closed on Thanksgiving.

The signs also explained that any sales advertised for Thanksgiving Day would be honored Friday, the manager said.

lchmelecki@sunjournal.com

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