You’ve probably seen the national commercials saying that you can start your Black Friday shopping at 8 P.M. on Thanksgiving. You’ve also probably also seen signs saying that in Massachusetts, that won’t be the case.
Bay state Blue Laws keep that from happening. They were drafted in the Colonial era by Puritan church members to regulate public activities on Sundays.
Due to the Blue Laws, prior to 1994, retail stores couldn’t open before noon.
Now the legislation is enforced by the Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division prohibiting businesses from opening on certain holidays.
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Rhode Island is the only other state in the nation to enforce Blue Laws on Thanksgiving.
In Oklahoma City, News9 reports:
Retailers may be offering better Black Friday deals to shoppers in other states. It's all because of an old law still on the state books. Those national advertisements for places like Wal-Mart show some huge discounts. But that "Bargain Busting Law" in Oklahoma could mean less savings and disappointed bargain hunters. It's an old law called the Unfair Sales Act, banning retailers from selling products below cost and protecting small businesses from big box stores.
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