Last-Minute Shoppers May Find Refuge at Macy's

As the holiday shopping season approaches crunch time, Macy's is banking on becoming a destination for last-minute gift givers. 

The company announced on Thursday that all stores, including the Macy's location in Saint Louis Galleria, will remain open for 48 consecutive hours in the days leading up to Christmas Eve. The store will stay open starting at 7 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 21 until 7 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 23. 

And as Kavita Kumar at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch first reported, the store will close for an hour before re-opening for normal business hours. Macy's will run special deals for Christmas gifts and other holidays presents, according to a company news release. 

The nonstop shopping event is guaranteed to draw ire from some local consumers, especially following the controversies surrounding Black Friday creeping into Thanksgiving day.

Retailers will be watching to gauge the success of the event, said Dan Butler, vice president for merchandising and retail at the National Retail Federation, in an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek.

“If it works well for Macy’s, I can guarantee it will be a trend next year,” said Butler, whopreviously worked for Macy's.

TELL US: Do you appreciate the convenience being offered by Macy's for last-minute shoppers? Or do you think the expansion of holiday shopping hours is dilluting the holiday experience for families and workers? Let us know in the comments.