Imperial Valley Mall to close for first time on Thanksgiving

The Imperial Valley Mall in El Centro will be closed this Thanksgiving for the first time since opening in 2005.

Our news team spoke to mall management and asked, why the change?

“We started out opening at midnight then it moved to 10 PM on Thursday, then moved to, which last year was 6 PM. And because of that it got earlier and earlier, the company decided to close for Thanksgiving,” stated Alicia Swaim, General Manager of Imperial Valley Mall.

The mall is managed by CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. The CEO of the company, Stephen Lebovitz issued a letter to the malls they manage this year and wrote in part…”gone are the days of waking before dawn to hunt for deals and door busters. Well, not this year.”

“They wanted to bring back the tradition of thanksgiving and what it is to spend the time with your family and friends, and by making that decision actually it has been welcomed,” said Swaim.

Though the mall will be closed this year, three big name department stores will open on Thanksgiving Day.

“JCPenney will be opening at 3 PM on Thursday and remaining open through Friday night. Sears will open at 6 PM and closing at midnight, and then reopening at 6 AM on Friday. And Macy’s will open at 5 PM on Thursday and remaining open till 2 AM on Friday and then reopening again at 6 AM,” explained Swaim.

Our news team went to Macy’s to talk to their store manager and get their take on why their opening on the Thanksgiving holiday, but they told me they’re not able to talk on camera and rather gave us their media relations number to their corporate offices in New York.”

Shortly after our reporter was able to speak to a mall employee who was off the clock, and will be working this Thanksgiving.

“I think it’s good for some stores to be open and some of them to be closed. It gives an opportunity for each working person to have the ability to have thanksgiving off. But at the same time it’s good for the stores too, because they can make money,” said Jazmine Mariscal, Imperial Valley Mall employee.