Many stores to conduct business on Thanksgiving Day

Many retail employees are forgoing Turkey Day with their families to offer a jump start on the Black Friday shopping mania.

According to the USA Today, Wal-Mart, Old Navy, and Radio Shack on the West Coast will entertain shoppers who decide to splurge after a hearty meal.

So will Toys R Us, says an earlier Walletpop post and Boscov's and certain Banana Republic/ Gap stores. These retailers will join Kmart, Walgreen's and other drug and grocery stores who began the tradition years ago.

"It's a big trend for retailers," said Scott Testa, professor of business administration at Cabrini College in Philadelphia in a phone interview. "I think a certain percentage of the population will go and shop especially if they can beat the Black Friday crowd."

Ellen Davis, vice president of the National Retail Federation, told Walletpop that many retailers are staying open to have a competitive advantage against their rivals.

"They have noticed that in the past their Web sites have had good traffic on Thanksgiving Day, and they think their stores should have the same benefit," Davis said.

NRF predicts Holiday sales to be down by 1% this year. Part of the reason why some retailers have decided to stay open is because they are nervous about the season, Testa said.

Not everyone feels that way. Kate Pettit, owner of Rhinoceros Toy Store in Jenkintown , PA, said she has no intentions of spending Thanksgiving behind the counter.

"We are a family-run business and family comes first," she said in a phone interview.