Pre-Thanksgiving Security Checklist for Memphis Retailers

The week of Thanksgiving is the starting gun for the most intense retail period of the year. Memphis retailers, from the shopping centers in Germantown to the strip malls along Winchester Road in Whitehaven, see foot traffic begin climbing the Monday before Thanksgiving and not plateau until after Christmas. If your security plan is not ready before that wave arrives, you are already behind.

This checklist is built from our operational experience managing retail security across Shelby County. Work through it the week before Thanksgiving, not the day before.

Staffing and Coverage

Security staffing needs scale with foot traffic, and foot traffic during the Thanksgiving week typically runs 30 to 50 percent above normal daily averages for most Memphis retailers. Review your current service agreement and confirm whether your coverage levels are adequate for elevated traffic periods.

• Confirm officer shift schedules for Tuesday, Wednesday, and the day after Thanksgiving
• Ensure overnight coverage if your store receives shipments during non-business hours
• Verify that your security team has current floor layouts and knows the location of all emergency exits
• Confirm communication protocols between floor staff, security, and management

Our professional security officer teams are available for expanded holiday coverage. Contact us early because staffing requests during the Thanksgiving week fill quickly.

Physical Security Audit

Walk your entire store this week and note any issues that could become problems under high-traffic conditions.

• Check all exterior door locks, including back-of-house and loading dock entries
• Test all alarm systems and verify monitoring service contact information is current
• Inspect CCTV cameras for coverage gaps, especially in high-value merchandise areas and fitting rooms
• Verify that panic buttons or emergency alert systems are functioning and staff know how to use them
• Check parking lot lighting and address any outages before the week begins

Inventory and Merchandise Controls

The Thanksgiving week brings organized retail crime teams that have been scouting locations for weeks. High-value items should be audited now and access controls adjusted accordingly.

• Move high-theft merchandise to locked cases or positions with maximum sightline coverage
• Audit access to stockrooms and back-of-house areas: limit keys to essential personnel
• Brief receiving staff on the increased risk of fraudulent deliveries and vendor access scams during the holiday period
• Confirm that all merchandise has been tagged or labeled for anti-theft protection

Staff Briefing and Training

Your employees see more of what happens on the floor than any camera system. Make sure they are ready.

• Brief all staff on current shoplifting patterns and what to report versus what not to confront
• Review the escalation protocol: who to contact, how, and when
• Address employee theft risks, which spike during high-volume periods when oversight is reduced
• Ensure staff know not to physically engage suspected shoplifters under any circumstances

Parking and Exterior Coverage

Parking lots are crime zones during holiday shopping season. Vehicle break-ins, purse snatching, and customer confrontations all spike when lots are crowded and people are distracted. Our commercial patrol services provide dedicated parking lot coverage that your interior security team cannot split attention to cover.

Vendor and Contractor Access

Holiday season brings additional vendor visits, maintenance contractors, and delivery personnel. Each represents a potential access control gap. Implement a sign-in log for all non-employee access during the holiday period and assign a staff member to escort vendors in non-public areas.

Memphis retail businesses that prepare early for the Thanksgiving week are the ones that close out the holiday season with lower shrink numbers and fewer incidents. Call Shield of Steel at (202) 222-2225 or visit our contact page to confirm your holiday coverage. Our office is at 2682 Lamar Ave, Memphis, TN 38114.