Office Depot to close for Thanksgiving

Office Depot Inc. says it will close its stores for Thanksgiving.

The Boca Raton, Florida-based office supplies chain said Thursday it reached the decision after weighing both business and personal factors.

The chain was open on the turkey feast last year. It said that online shoppers can buy deals online on Thanksgiving, but the stores will reopen on Black Friday at 6 a.m.

The Friday after Thanksgiving had long served as the official kickoff to the holiday shopping season. But over the past several years, Thanksgiving has become the new tradition amid increasing competition from online retailers. But the move has been controversial.

Office Depot's decision comes after the Mall of America and electronics chain hhgregg Inc. announced they would close for Thanksgiving, reversing several years of opening that day.