American consumers have come to rely increasingly on the near-ubiquity of convenience stores and big-box retailers.
Many of us depend on these stores to be open virtually all day, every day, even during some of the major holidays. After all, Black Friday invites retail stores to open just hours after Thanksgiving dinner in hopes of attracting large crowds of shoppers looking for early holiday sales.
Related: Walmart announces more store closings by 2024
And it's largely true that before the Covid pandemic most of our favorite stores were open all the time. Virtually nothing—from inclement weather to bad news to holidays—could shut down a major operation like Walmart. (WMT) o Objective (TGT) .
Then the pandemic hit and upended everything we thought we knew about retail operations.
Everything from grocery stores to shopping malls closed in an effort to contain the potential spread. And when they finally reopened to the public, different stores took different precautionary measures. Some monitored how many shoppers were inside at a time, while others implemented pedestrian traffic rules that dictated where people could enter and exit an aisle. And almost all of them required the use of masks at one time or another.
Although these safety measures seem like a distant memory, a relic of the early 2020s remains firmly part of our new American retail life.
Store Closings Announced for Spring 2024
Many retailers have learned to adapt after a volatile start to this third decade, and in many ways this requires serving customers better and treating employees better to retain the workforce.
In some cases, the changes also reflect a shift in purchasing behavior, as more customers place orders online and leave more room for brick-and-mortar operations. This also means more time for employees.
Thanks to this, large retailers have recently changed the way they operate, especially during the holidays, and Walmart recently said it would close during Thanksgiving to give employees more time to spend with their loved ones.
“I'm thrilled to share with you that we will once again be closing our doors for Thanksgiving this year,” Walmart US CEO John Furner told associates in a video posted to Twitter in November. “Thanksgiving is a very special day during a very busy season. We want you to spend the day at home with your family and loved ones.”
Other retailers have followed suit, such as Costco. (COST) Aldi and Target said they would close their doors for 24 hours on Easter Sunday, March 31.
Now, stores operating under TJX Cos. (TJX) Also closing for the holidays, including HomeGoods, TJ Maxx and Marshalls.
Although it closed on Thanksgiving Day, Walmart says it will remain open for shoppers on Easter.
Here is a list of stores that will close by Easter 2024:
- Aim
- costco
- aldi
- TJ Maxx
- Marshall
- Household items
- publix
- Macy's
- Best Buy
- Apple
- ace hardware
Others are expected to remain open, including:
- Walmart
- Ikea
- petco
- House deposit
Most stores that close on Sunday will reopen during regular business hours on Monday.
