Shopping hours
Encyclopedia
Customs and regulations for shopping hours (times that shops are open) vary from country to country.
. In Islamic countries some shops are closed on Fridays during noon. In Israel
many shops are closed on Friday evening and Saturday during daytime.
Each state in Australia
sets its own standard trading hours, but in most of the country the shops are open seven days a week for at least part of the day.
For some shops and other businesses Christmas Day is the only day in the year that they are closed.
In the United States, nearly all retail stores are open all year except for in Thanksgiving
, Christmas Day, and most stores also on Easter
Sunday. Some suburban and smaller communities often close on Sundays. For example, Bergen County, New Jersey
which is next to New York City, completely bans Sunday shopping. However, nearly all stores in the United States have restricted hours on Sundays (most often 11 am or noon to 5 - 7 pm), and stores close early on important holidays, such as Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
Banks, Post offices and other government offices either are closed on weekends, or close early on Saturdays.
Other non-retail remain closed on weekends.
In Canada, stores are open year-round including most public holidays, with shortened hours on Sundays. Usually, the holiday hours are the same as Sunday hours.
In Islamic countries shops may have special opening hours during Ramadan
.
The states of New South Wales
, Victoria
, Tasmania
and the Northern Territory
are the only states in Australia to essentially deregulate laws on shopping hours. All retail businesses in the states, regardless of size or product offer are able to stipulate their trading hours to suit their individual customer demand (although they are required to remain closed on Christmas Day, Good Friday, and (in Tasmania and NSW only) on Easter Sunday, except the Northern Territory which can remain open on any public holiday.). The two main supermarket operators Woolworths
and Coles
generally trade between 6am and 12 midnight 7 days a week, although some inner-city stores in Sydney & Melbourne operate 24 hours a day. Melbourne generally has the most relaxed rules. Almost all shopping centres in Melbourne now trade late on both Thursdays and Fridays as well as being open longer hours on Sundays. Melbourne is also famous for beginning the trend of 36 hour trading in the lead up to Christmas. Some of the larger shopping centres will open from 8 am until 6 pm on Christmas Eve.
Shopping Hours in South Australia
are still regulated. however the state government has passed numerous changes to relax the laws. Despite these changes retailers still face complicated and confusing trading laws, which stipulate trading hours based on size and product offer. Supermarkets which trade with fewer than 7 workers and with a trading floor less than 500 m2 are exempt from the laws. Larger supermarkets are required by law to close at 9 pm on weekdays, 5 pm on Saturdays, and are only permitted to trade between 11 am and 5 pm on Sundays.
In all areas of Queensland
, trading hours with major supermarkets are 8 am-9 pm Mon-Fri, 8am-5:30 on Saturdays and Sundays trade on 9-6. Most major shopping centres close at 5 every day, with the exception of one night a week with what is so named 'late night shopping.' If a supermarket is to be found in a major shopping center, they will still cease trading at 9 pm, with special access for just the supermarket.
In rural areas of Western Australia
below the 27th parallel, local governments nominate shop closing hours to the State government, which, if accepted, are implemented by ministerial order. Shopping hours in the state's capital, Perth, are regulated by laws similar to South Australia's. Trading hours are stipulated in law, and are based on size and product offer. As in South Australia, smaller, independently-operated supermarket retailers are exempted. Chain-store supermarkets are required to close at 9 pm on weekdays, 5 pm on Saturdays, and are forced to remain closed on Sundays (except in the Perth CBD and other special trading precincts, such as Fremantle). On 1 January 2010 new laws came into effect that allow shops including chain-stores like Woolworths Supermarkets and Coles Supermarkets
in inner-city localities of Perth to trade until 9 pm on weekdays and also trade on Sundays, from 11 am to 5 pm. However, this applies to areas such as Victoria Park, Leederville, Subiaco, South Perth, Fremantle and the Perth CBD. In April 2010, it was announced that suburban areas within the Fremantle municipality will also be permitted such hours. Previously only its CBD area was allowed such hours. Significant reform to Perth's trading hours was announced by the State government on 22 June 2010, allowing all metropolitan shops to trade until 9 pm on weeknights, following extensive negotiation between the Liberal and Labor parties. This reform came into effect from 1 November 2010, superseding laws that only allowed shops to open until 9 pm on Thursdays for 'late night shopping' ('late night shopping' was on Fridays in the Perth CBD, also until 9 pm.)
, too. Until the 1990s, all shops closed on Saturday noon (mostly at 12) and only reopened on Monday morning. Entrepreneurs such as Richard Lugner
lobbied for an expansion of shopping hours, and gradually laws are being changed and more and more exceptions granted. Meanwhile, as in Germany, outside regular shopping hours gas stations and train stations of big cities have taken on the role of Nahversorger (supplying the local population with groceries).
As a general rule, there is little regulation of shopping hours across the country. In the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan as well as all three territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut) there are no restrictions at all and stores can open 24/7 365 days a year. As well, Nova Scotia permits any store to open every day of the year except Remembrance Day (November 11).
The remaining provinces (Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador) require stores to close on most major holidays. Furthermore, three provinces have further restrictions on Sunday openings. In Manitoba, stores may only open on Sundays with Municipal approval and only then between 12pm-6 pm. New Brunswick only allows Sunday openings year round with both Municipal and Provincial approval, otherwise it is only permitted from August until the New Year. Some communities in New Brunswick (such as the cities of Fredericton and Saint John
) restrict Sunday openings to 12pm-5 pm.
The province of Quebec is the only province in Canada that regulates shopping hours outside of Sundays and Holidays. As a general rule, stores are only permitted to open between 8am-9pm Weekdays and 8am-5pm Weekends, excluding holidays. However there are several exceptions, notably with several supermarkets in Montreal that are open later hours or 24 hours.
In practice, few stores in Canada (outside of a small number of grocery stores) remain open 24 hours. Most shopping centres open from 10am-9pm Monday thru Friday, 9:30 am-6 pm (or in some cases 9 pm) on Saturday and 12 pm-5 pm or 6 pm on Sunday. Many larger stores, such as Wal-Mart Canada
and most major grocery stores remain open 8a m-10 pm Monday to Saturday and 10am-6pm (in some provinces 8 am-10 pm) on Sunday, except in provinces where further restrictions apply. The Sobeys chain stays open from 7am-11pm on weekdays and Saturdays.
Most large out-of-town supermarkets are open between 07:30/08:00-21:00/22:00, Monday to Sunday. Shopping malls usually open at 09:00 and also close at 22:00, 7 days a week. Smaller supermarkets close earlier on Sundays, typically at 13:00. Other shops in urban areas are generally closed on Sundays.
Bakeries and newspaper kiosks often open very early in the morning, at 05:30 or 06:00, and always open 7 days a week, but not 24 hours a day. Gas stations and convenience stores along major roads as well as some pharmacies (at least one in each major city, five in Zagreb) operate 24 hours a day.
shopping season from the third Sunday of November to 23 December, the Sunday closing hours are extended until 21:00.
Opening hours for stores with a commercial floor area of less than 400 m2 are unregulated, except on public holidays.
On Finnish public holidays
, all stores with a commercial floor area of more than 100 m2 are closed. On April 30 (vappuaatto) and the New Year's Eve
, the same retailers are permitted to stay open until 18:00, and on the Christmas Eve and the Midsummer eve (juhannusaatto) until 12:00.
There is no closing hour legislation for shops smaller than 100 m2 ("kiosk
s").
The local Regional State Administrative Agency (aluehallintovirasto) may exempt any retailer in its area from the shopping hour regulations. Therefore, in Helsinki
for example, retail shops located in the central Asematunneli
and Kamppi shopping centres near city's main traffic hubs are specially permitted to stay open even on public holidays.
Sunday shopping
was first introduced in 1994.
were previously regulated by a federal law, the "Shop Closing Law" (Ladenschlußgesetz), first enacted in 1956 and last revised on March 13, 2003. The federal government, however, handed over the authority to regulate shopping hours to the sixteen states on 7 July 2006. Since then, states have been allowed to pass their own laws regulating opening hours. The federal Ladenschlussgesetz continues to be valid within states that have not passed their own laws.
Under the old Ladenschlussgesetz, which currently only applies in the states of Bavaria and the Saarland, the general rule was that from Monday to Saturday, shops may not open prior to 6 a.m. and may not stay open later than 8 p.m. Shops were also obliged to close all day on Sundays and public holidays (both federal and state), and special rules applied concerning Christmas Eve
(December 24) should that day fall on a weekday. But there were several exceptions. For example, petrol stations (Tankstellen) and shops located in railway stations and airports may stay open past the normal hours; most petrol stations in larger cities and all situated on Autobahns are open 24 hours a day. Shops in so-called "tourist zones" may also open outside the normal hours, although restricted to selling souvenirs, handcrafted articles and similar tourist items. In connection with fairs and public market days, communities are allowed four days per year (normally Sundays) when shops may be open outside the normal restrictions; however, such shop openings may not take place during primary church services and must close by 6 p.m. Bakeries may open for business at 5:30 a.m. and may also open for a limited time on Sundays. Restaurants, bars, theatres, and cultural establishments are generally unaffected by the shop opening time restrictions. As most public holidays in Germany are religiously based, and since the religious holidays (Protestant and Catholic
) are not uniform across Germany, shops may be closed due to a public holiday in one state, and open in a neighbouring state. Bavaria even differentiates between cities with Protestant or Catholic majorities.
The shop-closing law was the subject of controversy in recent years, as larger stores (and many of their customers) would prefer to have fewer restrictions on their hours of operation, while trade unions, small shop owners and the church are opposed to a further loosening of the rules. On June 9, 2004, the German Supreme Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht) rejected a claim by the German department store chain Kaufhof AG that the shop-closing law was unconstitutional. Among other things, the court cited Article 140 of the German constitution (Grundgesetz) (which in turn invokes Article 139 of the 1919 Weimar Constitution
) protecting Sundays and public holidays as days of rest and recuperation. However, the court in effect invited the Federal parliament (Bundestag
) to reconsider whether the states (Länder) and not the federal government should regulate shop-closing hours.
No state has so far passed regulation that allows for general store opening on Sundays.
Monday-Saturday: no time restriction; regulation for Sunday varies in different states:
Monday-Friday: no time restriction; regulation for Saturday, Sunday varies in different states:
Monday-Saturday: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., regulation for Sunday varies in different states:
States with no liberalisation of opening hours:
law (Articles 12 and 13 of 3377/2005) shops can open at any time after 05:00. From Monday to Friday shops may operate until 21:00, and on Saturdays until 20:00. During these hours shop owners may operate (or not) their business as they please. Shops are closed on Sundays. Most local traders associations define common shopping hours for the region, usually:
Monday and Wednesday:
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday:
Saturday:
Usually most shops follow this schedule, with the exception of big stores and malls which operate during the whole permitted time by law.
These opening hours do not apply to nightclubs and related establishments, gasoline filling stations, restaurants, patisseries, florist shops, kiosks and shops in the same class as kiosks, photographic studios, retail shops selling only dried fruit and nuts to which special regulations apply (Article 42 of Law 1892/1990 and Article 14 of Law 2194/1994).
In (strictly designated) tourist areas, the (respective) Prefecture may extend the opening hours for certain shops. The Ministry of Tourism must approve the designation of an area as "tourist". Local worker and employer organizations must be consulted before any decision as to the extension of opening hours, but their approval is not required. The decisions must be published in the local daily press.
In practice, shops are also permitted to operate two Sundays in December by order of the Prefecture. Furthermore, as the majority of Greece is designated as an "tourist area", most Prefectures have the ability to extend the opening hours.
Typical opening hours are:
Monday - Wednesday, Friday, Saturday:
Thursday:
Sunday:
Many supermarkets are open 24 hours, or have longer opening hours (e.g. 08:00 - 22:00) everyday.
Large shopping centres and out-of-town (suburban) centres are typically open longer hours everyday (e.g. 09:00 - 21:00/22:00 weekdays, 09:00 - 19:00 Saturdays, 10:00 - 19:00 Sundays).
In the two weeks running up to Christmas, it is common for many shops to have extended opening hours; some may operate 24 hours a day right until midnight on Christmas Eve.
Most shops (other than petrol stations or convenience stores) in smaller towns and villages don't open at all on Sundays. Almost all shops (again, petrol stations, convenience stores, etc. excepted) are closed on Christmas Day, though most are open on all other holidays.
Convenience stores, petrol stations and some chemists (drugstores) are normally open from early morning (05:00/06:00/07:00) until late night (22:00/23:00/00:00), or often 24 hours, and New Year's Day is also Sunday hours.
In rural areas or in traditional trades, Wednesdays may be a half-day for businesses, closing at 12:30, but this practice has long passed in urban areas.
Alcohol is only allowed to be sold between 10:30 and 22:00 from Monday to Saturday and 12:30 to 22:00 on Sundays - although this does not affect opening hours (for instance, supermarkets will often block access to alcoholic products outside of these times). Alcohol cannot be sold at all on Good Friday.
Shops are allowed to stay open until 22:00h from Monday to Saturday, however most close at 18:00h on weekdays, and 17:00h on Saturdays. Many supermarkets (including outlets from the market leader Albert Heijn
, several DIY-stores and IKEA
) stay open until 20:00h, 21:00h or 22:00h. Most towns have their weekly shopping evening (koopavond), when shops stay open until 21:00h, either on Thursday or Friday. In touristic towns (like Amsterdam's city centre) supermarkets are allowed to be open on Sundays between 07:00h and 22:00h. Many towns have one or more supermarkets (avondwinkels) that are open until later in the evening, occasionally all night. Convenience store
s also have longer shopping hours; they are at many larger railway stations ("Albert Heijn
to go") and some busy streets.
A regular size supermarket that is open until midnight seven days a week is the Food Village at Schiphol Airport near Amsterdam
(located in the area of the airport before ticket
checks, hence not only for air travellers).
Shops that close on Sundays are usually also closed on public holidays, and other shops tend to have opening hours then like on Sundays. However, on first Christmas Day and New Year's Eve almost all shops are closed.
For specific opening hours ("openingstijden") in the Netherlands there are several websites.
Unlike neighbouring Croatia, many fast food outlets, bakeries, kiosks and convenience stores in urban areas operate 24 hours a day. Even some hypermarkets like Tempo and Metro are open 24 hours.
Typical opening times are:
Mondays - Saturdays: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, or 10:00 am to 8:00 pm/10:00 pm.
Sundays: - 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, or 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, or 12 noon to 6:00 pm.
Sunday shopping is popular, and most shops in towns and cities are open for business. Shops 280 m2 and larger in England and Wales are only allowed to trade for 6 hours on Sundays, shops in Northern Ireland may open from 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm. In Scotland, in theory, Sunday is considered the same as any other day, so there are no restrictions. However, in practice, some shops do not open on Sunday, or just open for four hours in smaller towns. In some Free Church dominated areas - for example Stornoway
on the Isle of Lewis, Sunday is considered a day of rest and consequently very few if any shops open at all.
, the various levels of government generally do not regulate the hours of the vast majority of retailers (though there are exceptions, such as blue law
), and with the main exception being shops licensed to sell spirits and other alcoholic beverages (for shopping hours, see alcohol sale hours by state) and car dealership. Shopping hours vary widely based on management considerations and customer needs. Key variables are the size of the metropolitan area, the type of store, and the size of the store.
Las Vegas, Nevada
is the notable exception to all the traditions just described. Las Vegas is world-famous for its 24-hour local culture, since it is a city with large gaming and tourism industries that operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Since most of the employees in the city's primary industries work overnight shifts — and because Nevada has absolutely no laws in regards to operating hours for any type of commercial activity — many businesses cater to such workers. Thus, Las Vegas is home to many 24-hour car dealership
s, dental clinics, auto mechanic
s, computer shops, and even some smaller clothing stores.
Typical store opening hours:
- Supermarkets stay open for longer hours, usually between 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (8:00 - 22:00) 7 days a week.
- Boutiques and smaller shops often close early at 5 or 6 p.m. (17:00 or 18:00), and usually close once or twice a week, most often on Sunday.
- Nearly all stores are closed on Easter
, Thanksgiving Day
and Christmas Day.
- Early closing (half days) on Christmas Eve
and New Year's Eve
. Some stores might have reduced hours on other major holidays.
- All malls and department stores, as well as most other stores remain open longer hours between Thanksgiving weekend and night before Christmas Eve for Christmas and Holiday shopping. Many are open until 11 p.m. (23:00), and a few even longer.
- Few stores remain open 24 hours; the main exceptions to this rule are most Walmarts throughout the country (especially Supercenters, which combine a discount store and full supermarket) and some drug stores like CVS, especially in larger cities like New York City and Las Vegas.
- Some stores, especially in suburban and rural areas, might remain closed on Sundays for any reason (such as most retail in Bergen County
, New Jersey
due to blue law
, which is next to New York City, and home to four major malls and has the largest retail in the nation).
Shopping days and impact of holidays
Some countries do not allow Sunday shoppingSunday shopping
Sunday shopping refers to the ability of retailers to operate stores on Sunday, a day that Christian tradition typically recognizes as the Sabbath, a "day of rest". Rules governing shopping hours, such as Sunday shopping, vary around the world but some European nations continue to ban Sunday shopping...
. In Islamic countries some shops are closed on Fridays during noon. In Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
many shops are closed on Friday evening and Saturday during daytime.
Each state in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
sets its own standard trading hours, but in most of the country the shops are open seven days a week for at least part of the day.
For some shops and other businesses Christmas Day is the only day in the year that they are closed.
In the United States, nearly all retail stores are open all year except for in Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving (United States)
Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a holiday celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November. It has officially been an annual tradition since 1863, when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday,...
, Christmas Day, and most stores also on Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
Sunday. Some suburban and smaller communities often close on Sundays. For example, Bergen County, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
which is next to New York City, completely bans Sunday shopping. However, nearly all stores in the United States have restricted hours on Sundays (most often 11 am or noon to 5 - 7 pm), and stores close early on important holidays, such as Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
Banks, Post offices and other government offices either are closed on weekends, or close early on Saturdays.
Other non-retail remain closed on weekends.
In Canada, stores are open year-round including most public holidays, with shortened hours on Sundays. Usually, the holiday hours are the same as Sunday hours.
In Islamic countries shops may have special opening hours during Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
.
Australia
Store trading hours in Australia are regulated by individual states and territories.The states of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
and the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
are the only states in Australia to essentially deregulate laws on shopping hours. All retail businesses in the states, regardless of size or product offer are able to stipulate their trading hours to suit their individual customer demand (although they are required to remain closed on Christmas Day, Good Friday, and (in Tasmania and NSW only) on Easter Sunday, except the Northern Territory which can remain open on any public holiday.). The two main supermarket operators Woolworths
Woolworths Limited
Woolworths Limited is a major Australian company with extensive retail interest throughout Australia and New Zealand. It is the:* largest retail company in Australia and New Zealand by market capitalisation and sales...
and Coles
Coles Supermarkets
Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741...
generally trade between 6am and 12 midnight 7 days a week, although some inner-city stores in Sydney & Melbourne operate 24 hours a day. Melbourne generally has the most relaxed rules. Almost all shopping centres in Melbourne now trade late on both Thursdays and Fridays as well as being open longer hours on Sundays. Melbourne is also famous for beginning the trend of 36 hour trading in the lead up to Christmas. Some of the larger shopping centres will open from 8 am until 6 pm on Christmas Eve.
Shopping Hours in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
are still regulated. however the state government has passed numerous changes to relax the laws. Despite these changes retailers still face complicated and confusing trading laws, which stipulate trading hours based on size and product offer. Supermarkets which trade with fewer than 7 workers and with a trading floor less than 500 m2 are exempt from the laws. Larger supermarkets are required by law to close at 9 pm on weekdays, 5 pm on Saturdays, and are only permitted to trade between 11 am and 5 pm on Sundays.
In all areas of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, trading hours with major supermarkets are 8 am-9 pm Mon-Fri, 8am-5:30 on Saturdays and Sundays trade on 9-6. Most major shopping centres close at 5 every day, with the exception of one night a week with what is so named 'late night shopping.' If a supermarket is to be found in a major shopping center, they will still cease trading at 9 pm, with special access for just the supermarket.
In rural areas of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
below the 27th parallel, local governments nominate shop closing hours to the State government, which, if accepted, are implemented by ministerial order. Shopping hours in the state's capital, Perth, are regulated by laws similar to South Australia's. Trading hours are stipulated in law, and are based on size and product offer. As in South Australia, smaller, independently-operated supermarket retailers are exempted. Chain-store supermarkets are required to close at 9 pm on weekdays, 5 pm on Saturdays, and are forced to remain closed on Sundays (except in the Perth CBD and other special trading precincts, such as Fremantle). On 1 January 2010 new laws came into effect that allow shops including chain-stores like Woolworths Supermarkets and Coles Supermarkets
Coles Supermarkets
Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741...
in inner-city localities of Perth to trade until 9 pm on weekdays and also trade on Sundays, from 11 am to 5 pm. However, this applies to areas such as Victoria Park, Leederville, Subiaco, South Perth, Fremantle and the Perth CBD. In April 2010, it was announced that suburban areas within the Fremantle municipality will also be permitted such hours. Previously only its CBD area was allowed such hours. Significant reform to Perth's trading hours was announced by the State government on 22 June 2010, allowing all metropolitan shops to trade until 9 pm on weeknights, following extensive negotiation between the Liberal and Labor parties. This reform came into effect from 1 November 2010, superseding laws that only allowed shops to open until 9 pm on Thursdays for 'late night shopping' ('late night shopping' was on Fridays in the Perth CBD, also until 9 pm.)
Austria
With the exception of the country being predominantly Catholic rather than Protestant, the German situation very much applies for AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, too. Until the 1990s, all shops closed on Saturday noon (mostly at 12) and only reopened on Monday morning. Entrepreneurs such as Richard Lugner
Richard Lugner
Richard Lugner is a successful Austrian entrepreneur in the construction industry, a Viennese society figure, and a former political candidate not affiliated with any of the Austrian political parties. Since August 2, 2007, he has been divorced from Christina Lugner...
lobbied for an expansion of shopping hours, and gradually laws are being changed and more and more exceptions granted. Meanwhile, as in Germany, outside regular shopping hours gas stations and train stations of big cities have taken on the role of Nahversorger (supplying the local population with groceries).
Canada
Store hours in Canada are regulated by each province or territory, and in some provinces individual municipalities as well.As a general rule, there is little regulation of shopping hours across the country. In the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan as well as all three territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut) there are no restrictions at all and stores can open 24/7 365 days a year. As well, Nova Scotia permits any store to open every day of the year except Remembrance Day (November 11).
The remaining provinces (Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador) require stores to close on most major holidays. Furthermore, three provinces have further restrictions on Sunday openings. In Manitoba, stores may only open on Sundays with Municipal approval and only then between 12pm-6 pm. New Brunswick only allows Sunday openings year round with both Municipal and Provincial approval, otherwise it is only permitted from August until the New Year. Some communities in New Brunswick (such as the cities of Fredericton and Saint John
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
) restrict Sunday openings to 12pm-5 pm.
The province of Quebec is the only province in Canada that regulates shopping hours outside of Sundays and Holidays. As a general rule, stores are only permitted to open between 8am-9pm Weekdays and 8am-5pm Weekends, excluding holidays. However there are several exceptions, notably with several supermarkets in Montreal that are open later hours or 24 hours.
In practice, few stores in Canada (outside of a small number of grocery stores) remain open 24 hours. Most shopping centres open from 10am-9pm Monday thru Friday, 9:30 am-6 pm (or in some cases 9 pm) on Saturday and 12 pm-5 pm or 6 pm on Sunday. Many larger stores, such as Wal-Mart Canada
Wal-Mart Canada
Wal-Mart Canada Corp. is the Canadian unit of Walmart and was founded in 1994 in Mississauga, Ontario with the purchase of the Canadian Woolco stores from Woolworth Canada....
and most major grocery stores remain open 8a m-10 pm Monday to Saturday and 10am-6pm (in some provinces 8 am-10 pm) on Sunday, except in provinces where further restrictions apply. The Sobeys chain stays open from 7am-11pm on weekdays and Saturdays.
China
Trading hours in China, including Hong Kong and Macau special administrative regions, are commercial decisions and not regulated. The majority of shops open on public holidays. Convenience stores open 24 hours a day and 365/366 days a year.Croatia
Shopping hours in Croatia are currently unregulated after the Constitutional Court struck down a ban on Sunday shopping which had been in effect from mid-2008 until mid-2009.Most large out-of-town supermarkets are open between 07:30/08:00-21:00/22:00, Monday to Sunday. Shopping malls usually open at 09:00 and also close at 22:00, 7 days a week. Smaller supermarkets close earlier on Sundays, typically at 13:00. Other shops in urban areas are generally closed on Sundays.
Bakeries and newspaper kiosks often open very early in the morning, at 05:30 or 06:00, and always open 7 days a week, but not 24 hours a day. Gas stations and convenience stores along major roads as well as some pharmacies (at least one in each major city, five in Zagreb) operate 24 hours a day.
Finland
Outside of public holidays, the current law that went into effect in December 2009 permits all retailing venues regardless of size to stay open on weekdays between 07:00–21:00, on Saturdays between 07:00–18:00 and on Sundays between 12:00–18:00. During the ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
shopping season from the third Sunday of November to 23 December, the Sunday closing hours are extended until 21:00.
Opening hours for stores with a commercial floor area of less than 400 m2 are unregulated, except on public holidays.
On Finnish public holidays
Public holidays in Finland
All official holidays in Finland are established by acts of Parliament. The official holidays can be divided into Christian and non-Christian holidays. The main Christian holidays are Christmas, New Year's Day, Epiphany, Easter, Ascension day, Pentecost, Midsummer Day, and All Saints' Day...
, all stores with a commercial floor area of more than 100 m2 are closed. On April 30 (vappuaatto) and the New Year's Eve
New Year
The New Year is the day that marks the time of the beginning of a new calendar year, and is the day on which the year count of the specific calendar used is incremented. For many cultures, the event is celebrated in some manner....
, the same retailers are permitted to stay open until 18:00, and on the Christmas Eve and the Midsummer eve (juhannusaatto) until 12:00.
There is no closing hour legislation for shops smaller than 100 m2 ("kiosk
Kiosk
Kiosk is a small, separated garden pavilion open on some or all sides. Kiosks were common in Persia, India, Pakistan, and in the Ottoman Empire from the 13th century onward...
s").
The local Regional State Administrative Agency (aluehallintovirasto) may exempt any retailer in its area from the shopping hour regulations. Therefore, in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
for example, retail shops located in the central Asematunneli
Asematunneli
Asematunneli is an underground shopping center connecting the Helsinki Central railway station and City-Center in downtown Helsinki, Finland. The area also has a ticket sales area for the Rautatientori metro station and connections to the nearby Forum shopping mall and Stockmann and Sokos...
and Kamppi shopping centres near city's main traffic hubs are specially permitted to stay open even on public holidays.
Sunday shopping
Sunday shopping
Sunday shopping refers to the ability of retailers to operate stores on Sunday, a day that Christian tradition typically recognizes as the Sabbath, a "day of rest". Rules governing shopping hours, such as Sunday shopping, vary around the world but some European nations continue to ban Sunday shopping...
was first introduced in 1994.
Germany
Shopping days and opening hours in GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
were previously regulated by a federal law, the "Shop Closing Law" (Ladenschlußgesetz), first enacted in 1956 and last revised on March 13, 2003. The federal government, however, handed over the authority to regulate shopping hours to the sixteen states on 7 July 2006. Since then, states have been allowed to pass their own laws regulating opening hours. The federal Ladenschlussgesetz continues to be valid within states that have not passed their own laws.
Under the old Ladenschlussgesetz, which currently only applies in the states of Bavaria and the Saarland, the general rule was that from Monday to Saturday, shops may not open prior to 6 a.m. and may not stay open later than 8 p.m. Shops were also obliged to close all day on Sundays and public holidays (both federal and state), and special rules applied concerning Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
(December 24) should that day fall on a weekday. But there were several exceptions. For example, petrol stations (Tankstellen) and shops located in railway stations and airports may stay open past the normal hours; most petrol stations in larger cities and all situated on Autobahns are open 24 hours a day. Shops in so-called "tourist zones" may also open outside the normal hours, although restricted to selling souvenirs, handcrafted articles and similar tourist items. In connection with fairs and public market days, communities are allowed four days per year (normally Sundays) when shops may be open outside the normal restrictions; however, such shop openings may not take place during primary church services and must close by 6 p.m. Bakeries may open for business at 5:30 a.m. and may also open for a limited time on Sundays. Restaurants, bars, theatres, and cultural establishments are generally unaffected by the shop opening time restrictions. As most public holidays in Germany are religiously based, and since the religious holidays (Protestant and Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
) are not uniform across Germany, shops may be closed due to a public holiday in one state, and open in a neighbouring state. Bavaria even differentiates between cities with Protestant or Catholic majorities.
The shop-closing law was the subject of controversy in recent years, as larger stores (and many of their customers) would prefer to have fewer restrictions on their hours of operation, while trade unions, small shop owners and the church are opposed to a further loosening of the rules. On June 9, 2004, the German Supreme Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht) rejected a claim by the German department store chain Kaufhof AG that the shop-closing law was unconstitutional. Among other things, the court cited Article 140 of the German constitution (Grundgesetz) (which in turn invokes Article 139 of the 1919 Weimar Constitution
Weimar constitution
The Constitution of the German Reich , usually known as the Weimar Constitution was the constitution that governed Germany during the Weimar Republic...
) protecting Sundays and public holidays as days of rest and recuperation. However, the court in effect invited the Federal parliament (Bundestag
Bundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
) to reconsider whether the states (Länder) and not the federal government should regulate shop-closing hours.
No state has so far passed regulation that allows for general store opening on Sundays.
Monday-Saturday: no time restriction; regulation for Sunday varies in different states:
- Baden-WürttembergBaden-WürttembergBaden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
- BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
- BrandenburgBrandenburgBrandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
- BremenBremenThe City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
- HamburgHamburg-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
- HesseHesseHesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
- Lower SaxonyLower SaxonyLower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
- North Rhine-WestphaliaNorth Rhine-WestphaliaNorth Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
- Schleswig-HolsteinSchleswig-HolsteinSchleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
Monday-Friday: no time restriction; regulation for Saturday, Sunday varies in different states:
- Mecklenburg-Western PomeraniaMecklenburg-Western PomeraniaMecklenburg-Vorpommern is a federal state in northern Germany. The capital city is Schwerin...
- Saxony-AnhaltSaxony-AnhaltSaxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
- ThuringiaThuringiaThe Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
Monday-Saturday: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., regulation for Sunday varies in different states:
- Rhineland-PalatinateRhineland-PalatinateRhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz ....
- SaxonySaxonyThe Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
States with no liberalisation of opening hours:
- BavariaBavariaBavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
- SaarlandSaarlandSaarland is one of the sixteen states of Germany. The capital is Saarbrücken. It has an area of 2570 km² and 1,045,000 inhabitants. In both area and population, it is the smallest state in Germany other than the city-states...
Greece
According to GreekGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
law (Articles 12 and 13 of 3377/2005) shops can open at any time after 05:00. From Monday to Friday shops may operate until 21:00, and on Saturdays until 20:00. During these hours shop owners may operate (or not) their business as they please. Shops are closed on Sundays. Most local traders associations define common shopping hours for the region, usually:
Monday and Wednesday:
- 09:00-14:00
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday:
- 09:00-14:00 & 17:00-20:00
Saturday:
- 09:00-14:00
Usually most shops follow this schedule, with the exception of big stores and malls which operate during the whole permitted time by law.
These opening hours do not apply to nightclubs and related establishments, gasoline filling stations, restaurants, patisseries, florist shops, kiosks and shops in the same class as kiosks, photographic studios, retail shops selling only dried fruit and nuts to which special regulations apply (Article 42 of Law 1892/1990 and Article 14 of Law 2194/1994).
In (strictly designated) tourist areas, the (respective) Prefecture may extend the opening hours for certain shops. The Ministry of Tourism must approve the designation of an area as "tourist". Local worker and employer organizations must be consulted before any decision as to the extension of opening hours, but their approval is not required. The decisions must be published in the local daily press.
In practice, shops are also permitted to operate two Sundays in December by order of the Prefecture. Furthermore, as the majority of Greece is designated as an "tourist area", most Prefectures have the ability to extend the opening hours.
Ireland
Shops in Ireland are, with few exceptions (such as those involved in the sale of alcohol), allowed to open whenever they want - including Sundays and public holidays.Typical opening hours are:
Monday - Wednesday, Friday, Saturday:
- 08:00/09:00/10:00 - 17:00/18:00/19:00
Thursday:
- 08:00/09:00/10:00 - 20:00/21:00/22:00
Sunday:
- 09:00/10:00/11:00 - 17:00/18:00/19:00
Many supermarkets are open 24 hours, or have longer opening hours (e.g. 08:00 - 22:00) everyday.
Large shopping centres and out-of-town (suburban) centres are typically open longer hours everyday (e.g. 09:00 - 21:00/22:00 weekdays, 09:00 - 19:00 Saturdays, 10:00 - 19:00 Sundays).
In the two weeks running up to Christmas, it is common for many shops to have extended opening hours; some may operate 24 hours a day right until midnight on Christmas Eve.
Most shops (other than petrol stations or convenience stores) in smaller towns and villages don't open at all on Sundays. Almost all shops (again, petrol stations, convenience stores, etc. excepted) are closed on Christmas Day, though most are open on all other holidays.
Convenience stores, petrol stations and some chemists (drugstores) are normally open from early morning (05:00/06:00/07:00) until late night (22:00/23:00/00:00), or often 24 hours, and New Year's Day is also Sunday hours.
In rural areas or in traditional trades, Wednesdays may be a half-day for businesses, closing at 12:30, but this practice has long passed in urban areas.
Alcohol is only allowed to be sold between 10:30 and 22:00 from Monday to Saturday and 12:30 to 22:00 on Sundays - although this does not affect opening hours (for instance, supermarkets will often block access to alcoholic products outside of these times). Alcohol cannot be sold at all on Good Friday.
Netherlands
Regular opening hours: Monday 11:00h - 18:00h; Tuesday-Friday: 09:30h - 18:00h; Saturday: 09:30h - 17:00h; Sunday (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Almere, Leiden and smaller tourist towns): 12 noon - 18:00h. In many other towns shops are open every first Sunday of the month (koopzondag).Shops are allowed to stay open until 22:00h from Monday to Saturday, however most close at 18:00h on weekdays, and 17:00h on Saturdays. Many supermarkets (including outlets from the market leader Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn B.V. is a supermarket chain founded in 1887 in Oostzaan, Netherlands. It is named after Albert Heijn, Sr., the founder of the first store in Oostzaan....
, several DIY-stores and IKEA
IKEA
IKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the world's largest furniture retailer...
) stay open until 20:00h, 21:00h or 22:00h. Most towns have their weekly shopping evening (koopavond), when shops stay open until 21:00h, either on Thursday or Friday. In touristic towns (like Amsterdam's city centre) supermarkets are allowed to be open on Sundays between 07:00h and 22:00h. Many towns have one or more supermarkets (avondwinkels) that are open until later in the evening, occasionally all night. Convenience store
Convenience store
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
s also have longer shopping hours; they are at many larger railway stations ("Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn B.V. is a supermarket chain founded in 1887 in Oostzaan, Netherlands. It is named after Albert Heijn, Sr., the founder of the first store in Oostzaan....
to go") and some busy streets.
A regular size supermarket that is open until midnight seven days a week is the Food Village at Schiphol Airport near Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
(located in the area of the airport before ticket
Airline ticket
An airline ticket is a document, issued by an airline or a travel agency, to confirm that an individual has purchased a seat on a flight on an aircraft. This document is then used to obtain a boarding pass, at the airport...
checks, hence not only for air travellers).
Shops that close on Sundays are usually also closed on public holidays, and other shops tend to have opening hours then like on Sundays. However, on first Christmas Day and New Year's Eve almost all shops are closed.
For specific opening hours ("openingstijden") in the Netherlands there are several websites.
Serbia
Shopping hours in Serbia are unregulated. Large supermarkets are usually open from 07:00/07:30/08:00 to 22:00 from Monday to Sunday. Shopping malls open at 09:00 or 10:00 and also stay open until 22:00. Smaller supermarkets close earlier on Sundays, at 15:00 or 16:00.Unlike neighbouring Croatia, many fast food outlets, bakeries, kiosks and convenience stores in urban areas operate 24 hours a day. Even some hypermarkets like Tempo and Metro are open 24 hours.
Singapore
Shopping hours for Shopping malls are usually from 10:00h to 22:00h from Monday to Sunday. Automotive shops like tyre outlets usually start from 09.30h and end at 19:00h. Some supermarkets are open 24 hours a day. For more information, patrons can find current available services/shops from an online web service in Singapore which is an Opening Hours Directory called WhereOpen.com (www.whereopen.com).Switzerland
Shopping hours are governed by cantonal law and vary accordingly, while the only federally mandated store holiday is August 1 (national holiday), as per article 110 III of the Swiss Constitution. Most often, stores will be open from 08-09:00 until 19-20:00, and up until 21-22:00 on one day per week. On Saturdays and days prior to public holidays, most stores close at around 16-17:00. Stores are also generally closed on Sundays; see Sunday shopping in Switzerland.United Kingdom
In Britain, many retail stores are open 7 days a week. Some large stores are open for 24 hours (except on Sundays in England and Wales.) Some stores do not open on Easter Sunday or Christmas Day.Typical opening times are:
Mondays - Saturdays: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, or 10:00 am to 8:00 pm/10:00 pm.
Sundays: - 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, or 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, or 12 noon to 6:00 pm.
Sunday shopping is popular, and most shops in towns and cities are open for business. Shops 280 m2 and larger in England and Wales are only allowed to trade for 6 hours on Sundays, shops in Northern Ireland may open from 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm. In Scotland, in theory, Sunday is considered the same as any other day, so there are no restrictions. However, in practice, some shops do not open on Sunday, or just open for four hours in smaller towns. In some Free Church dominated areas - for example Stornoway
Stornoway
Stornoway is a burgh on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.The town's population is around 9,000, making it the largest settlement in the Western Isles and the third largest town in the Scottish Highlands after Inverness and Fort William...
on the Isle of Lewis, Sunday is considered a day of rest and consequently very few if any shops open at all.
United States
In the U.S.United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the various levels of government generally do not regulate the hours of the vast majority of retailers (though there are exceptions, such as blue law
Blue law
A blue law is a type of law, typically found in the United States and, formerly, in Canada, designed to enforce religious standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest, and a restriction on Sunday shopping...
), and with the main exception being shops licensed to sell spirits and other alcoholic beverages (for shopping hours, see alcohol sale hours by state) and car dealership. Shopping hours vary widely based on management considerations and customer needs. Key variables are the size of the metropolitan area, the type of store, and the size of the store.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
is the notable exception to all the traditions just described. Las Vegas is world-famous for its 24-hour local culture, since it is a city with large gaming and tourism industries that operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Since most of the employees in the city's primary industries work overnight shifts — and because Nevada has absolutely no laws in regards to operating hours for any type of commercial activity — many businesses cater to such workers. Thus, Las Vegas is home to many 24-hour car dealership
Car dealership
A car dealership or vehicle local distribution is a business that sells new or used cars at the retail level, based on a dealership contract with an automaker or its sales subsidiary. It employs automobile salespeople to do the selling...
s, dental clinics, auto mechanic
Auto mechanic
An auto mechanic is a mechanic with a variety of car makes or either in a specific area or in a specific make of car. In repairing cars, their main role is to diagnose the problem accurately and quickly...
s, computer shops, and even some smaller clothing stores.
Typical store opening hours:
- Monday - Saturday 9 - 10 a.m. to 8 - 9:30 p.m. (9:00 - 10:00 to 20:00 - 21:30)
- Sunday 11 - 12-noon to 5 - 7 p.m. (11:00 - 12:00 to 17:00 - 19:00)
- Supermarkets stay open for longer hours, usually between 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (8:00 - 22:00) 7 days a week.
- Boutiques and smaller shops often close early at 5 or 6 p.m. (17:00 or 18:00), and usually close once or twice a week, most often on Sunday.
- Nearly all stores are closed on Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
, Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving (United States)
Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a holiday celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November. It has officially been an annual tradition since 1863, when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday,...
and Christmas Day.
- Early closing (half days) on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
and New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
. Some stores might have reduced hours on other major holidays.
- All malls and department stores, as well as most other stores remain open longer hours between Thanksgiving weekend and night before Christmas Eve for Christmas and Holiday shopping. Many are open until 11 p.m. (23:00), and a few even longer.
- Few stores remain open 24 hours; the main exceptions to this rule are most Walmarts throughout the country (especially Supercenters, which combine a discount store and full supermarket) and some drug stores like CVS, especially in larger cities like New York City and Las Vegas.
- Some stores, especially in suburban and rural areas, might remain closed on Sundays for any reason (such as most retail in Bergen County
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
due to blue law
Blue law
A blue law is a type of law, typically found in the United States and, formerly, in Canada, designed to enforce religious standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest, and a restriction on Sunday shopping...
, which is next to New York City, and home to four major malls and has the largest retail in the nation).