Remember the good old days?

I remember when I was in high school, most businesses around Bangor were closed on Sundays and holidays. Back then, pretty much the only store that was open at those times was Skip's Yankee Grocer. Some may remember that spot, some may not. But you sure weren't going to get into Shop & Save that day, for sure.

And then, in the early '90s, Maine loosened up some of its "blue laws". Blue laws prohibit days that larger stores can be open at certain times. A lot of folks felt that repealing the blue laws would put a lot of small stores out of business. And it did. It wasn't long after it passed, that Skip's closed.

Still, sometimes you need some last-minute ingredients

But fast forward a few decades, and most of us sit around wondering why more stores aren't open on holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. We have to save it all up for Black Friday, I guess. But, there are a select few places you might find open on Turkey Day. Such as:

  • Dunkin'
  • Local restaurants
  • Many chain restaurants like Applebee's etc.
  • Walgreen's
  • Movie Theaters
  • And if you're feeling ambitious, you can take a trip down to LL Bean.
  • Most convenience stores

And I'm sure there will be a few other places too. But the big stores like Hannaford, Lowe's, Home Depot, Walmart, etc... they'll all be closed for the day. Of course, at 12:01 AM all those same big box stores will be opening up for Black Friday sales.

Probably someday in our lifetime, the laws will change more and we'll be able to shop on Thanksgiving. Maine is only one of a handful of states that even have blue laws anymore. So be patient, and it'll probably happen. But until then, rest up and enjoy some quiet time with the family.

Maine's Most Hated Thanksgiving Food

From most loved to most hated food at Thanksgiving Dinner

LOOK: Here Are the 25 Best Thanksgiving movies of all time

Wild Edible Mushrooms Here In Maine

Tasty fungi from the Maine woods. But, remember, never eat a wild mushroom without positive identification.

More From WQCB Brewer Maine