Restaurants open on Christmas
* Bluff View Art District, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 265-5033* Beast and Barrel, 16 Frazier Ave., 4-11 p.m. 805-4599.* Big River Grille, 222 Broad St. location only, 4-10 p.m. 267-2739.* Buffet King, 5230 Highway 153, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. 877-8816.* Chef Lin, 5084 South Terrace, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. 510-1998.* China Rose, 9203 Lee Highway, Ooltewah, 2-9 p.m. 238-1268.* City Cafe Diner, 901 Carter St., 634-9191; and 7641 Lee Highway, 485-8222, both 24 hours.* Fox & Hound, 2040 Hamilton Place Blvd., 5 p.m.-3 a.m. 490-1200.* Hair of the Dog Pub, 334 Market St., 6 p.m.-3 a.m. 265-4615.* Honest Pint, 35 Patten Parkway, 5 p.m.-2 a.m. 468-4192.* Huddle House, all locations, 24 hours.* IHOP, 5814 Brainerd Road, 490-0559; and 5113 Highway 153, 877-4732; both open at 11 a.m., then 24 hours a day.* New China Buffet and Grill, 3450 Cummings Highway, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. 821-6988.* Porter’s Steakhouse, 827 Broad St. (inside the Read House), 11 a.m.-8 p.m. 643-1240.* Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, 2321 Lifestyle Way, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (dinner menu served all day), 602-5900.* Sweet Basil Thai, 5845 Brainerd Road, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. 485-8836.* The Big Chill, 103 Cherokee Blvd., 4 p.m.-3 a.m. 267-2445.* Waffle House, all locations, 24 hours.
Stores open today
Wal-Mart — open until 8 p.m. tonightTarget — open until 11 p.m. tonightBest Buy — open until 6 p.m. todayKohl’s — open until 6 p.m. todayToys ‘R’ Us — open until 9 p.m. tonightWalgreens — 24-hour stores open all day today (also open all day on Christmas)CVS — 24-hour stores open all day today (also open all day on Christmas)Hamilton Place Mall — open until 7 p.m. tonightNorthgate Mall — open until 6 p.m. tonightDollar General — open until 8 p.m. tonight
This is really it. Today is crunch time for last-minute Christmas shoppers, as many major retailers, which rely on the Christmas holiday for up to 20 percent of their annual sales income, finally wind down the Thanksgiving-to-Christmas holiday rush and keep their doors open a little later than in years past.
This year, the Christmas holiday season is expected to reach $630.5 billion in total sales, according to the National Retail Federation.
Kohl’s stores will close their doors at 6 p.m. today – and for the first time since Dec. 17, after operating for 170 hours nonstop.