As the holidays near, many of us are busy booking travel to visit loved ones and carefully planning recipes down to the teaspoon for holiday baking parties.
We often take for granted, in the midst of such a busy season, that many of our favorite retail stores stay open to accommodate our schedules and provide that nutmeg we could've sworn we had in the cabinet.
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Many large retailers, including Walmart (WMT) -) and Costco (COST) -) won over their impressively large customer base by keeping long hours and remaining reliable in a pinch, even during holidays.
But life after 2020 has changed that. During the height of the pandemic, grocery stores, strip malls, haircutters, bakeries, and even multinational big box retailers suddenly shuttered. And now that everything has reopened, retailers are more sensitive not just to the safety and well being of their customers but also to their employees.
And some retailers aren't going back to their old ways.
Sam's Club announces a holiday adjustment
Customers may recall that Walmart, which owns Sam's Club, announced it would close down on Thanksgiving 2023.
"I am delighted to share that once again, we'll be closing our doors for Thanksgiving this year," CEO John Furner announced in October. "Thanksgiving is such a special day during a very busy season. We want you to spend that day at home with family and loved ones."
The decision was Walmart's fourth consecutive Thanksgiving closure, and now, Sam's Club is following in a similar path for this Christmas.
It will hold what it's calling Holiday Shopping Hours and Special Hours during the holiday season.
Sam's Club Holiday Shopping Hours are:
- Nov. 22-Dec. 23
- Monday-Sunday: Open until 8 PM
Sam's Club Special Hours are:
- Christmas Eve, Dec. 24: Open until 6 PM
- New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31: Open until 6 PM
Sam's Club will close its approximately 600 stores on Christmas Day. Similarly, Walmart will shutter its nearly 4,500 stores and Target's 2,000 will close. Grocery stores like Kroger (KR) -), Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's will also be closed to observe the holiday.
Here's a list of stores that will have either extended hours or remain open on Christmas Eve:
- Kohls'
- Apple
- Best Buy
- CVS
- Big Lots
- Dick's Sporting Goods
- Macy's
- JC Penney
- Kmart
- Petco
- Old Navy
- Walmart
- Target
- Sears
