These National Retail Chains Are Closing For A Day — Here's Where You Can Still Shop

American shoppers have long grown accustomed to their favorite brick-and-mortar stores being closed for business on major holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. That's so employees can spend quality time celebrating or just relaxing with family and friends. However, a considerable number of stores recently announced that they'll be closing for a different type of holiday in 2025: Easter Sunday.

For those who may not be religious, Easter Sunday isn't a fixed date. Instead, it takes cues from the lunar calendar. The Old Farmer's Almanac explains, "Easter Sunday always occurs on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon ... [which is] the full moon that occurs on or after the March or spring equinox." Technically, that means that Easter Sunday can occur anytime between March 22 and April 25 each year.

In the 500 years between 1600 and 2099, it's calculated that the two most common dates for Easter are March 31 and April 16. This year, Easter is occurring fairly late with a date of April 20, 2025. With that in mind, here's a synopsis of some venues where you can and can't shop on that particular day.

Perhaps one of the biggest names on the list of stores which are closing for Easter Sunday is the department store Target. Target has 1,978 stores spread across the U.S., all of which will be shuttered to customers on the upcoming holy day. Ditto for the warehouse club Costco, so you'll have to get your bargain-priced rotisserie chicken on Saturday instead. Interestingly, Target's competitor Walmart is open during Easter Sunday, although its sister store Sam's Club will remain closed. 

If it's necessary to buy groceries, Texas-based H-E-B will be closed on Easter Sunday, as will the Publix grocery chain which operates primarily in the southeast. Additionally, discount grocer Aldi is shutting down for the day. That leaves alternatives like Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and Kroger which have remained open on Easter in years past. 

Finally, if you're tackling a home improvement project on Easter and need to make that inevitable trip to the hardware store for something forgotten, note that Lowes and Ace Hardware will both be closed that day. Competitor Home Depot will remain open, however. And be sure to check out our clever tricks to save money at Home Depot before setting off. 

Shoppers in search of new wardrobe additions will also face stores closings on Easter Sunday. For example, Kohl's, Macy's, Marshalls, and JC Penny are all joining what's being called a "retail blackout." Indeed, the Easter blackout will allow some employees to observe the religious holiday, while those who don't celebrate may still enjoy a day of rest or recreation.

Because listing every single national and local store that's closed on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025 is beyond the scope of this article, it's definitely recommended to call or verify online whether your favorite stores will be open for business. That's also good advice for stores which are confirmed open for Easter, but may have different hours of operation than usual.

The news of increased closings on Easter Sunday versus prior years arrives amidst a trend of some store and restaurant locations closing permanently, including retail icons like Macy's. The reasons are multifold, but generally involve a struggling economy and shifting consumer behavior. According to a widely-publicized report from investment bank UBS, up to 45,000 brick and mortar stores could close across America by the year 2025.