What Stores Are Open and Closed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2015?

The US has 10 federal holidays, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the second of these each year, coming after New Year’s Day. In 2015, the day lands on Monday, January 19. While it’s a day off for those who work for the federal government, federal holidays aren’t national holidays. That is, businesses can decide whether or not they want to give their employees the day off or not, and it’s not an automatic day off for everyone.

While post office employees, those working at banks, and many of those in the financial industry usually get these days off, there’s pressure for retailers to remain open on federal holidays since consumers have free time to shop on these day. For this reason, many stores not only decide to remain open, they actively advertise special sales to correspond with the holiday. That’s exactly what takes place with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, when the vast majority of retail outlets remain open for business, and many have sales to correspond with the holiday.

Is Costco open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day?

Yes, Costco is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Costco is one of a few retailers who often closes on federal holidays, but Martin Luther King Jr. Day is not one of the days their stores close. They will be open for business on January 19 for any consumers who need to purchase merchandise from them. You can see the holidays Costco is closed here.

Is Walmart open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day?

Yes, Walmart is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Walmart is open 364 days a year, with the only exception being Christmas Day. All Walmart stores will be open.

Is Target open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day?

Yes, Target is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Target stores are open 363 days a year, with the two exceptions being Christmas Day and Easter Sunday. They will be open for business on Monday, January 19.

Besides the big three retailers above, virtually all large retailers will be open for business as usual on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Many will be promoting special sales for the day. The following stores will all be open on January 19:

• Macy’s is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Kohl’s is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Sears is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• JC Penny is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Nordstrom is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Dillard’s is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Neiman Marcus is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Belks is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Saks Fifth Avenue is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• BJ’s Wholesale Club is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Sams Club is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Kmart is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• CVS is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Walgreens is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Rite Aid is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Best Buy is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Lowe’s is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Home Depot is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day

For those who want to go shopping, they shouldn’t run into any issues. Even many medium and smaller shops will remain open for the day, although you should call to confirm before going just to make sure. While it’s an official federal holiday, it hasn’t become a retail holiday in any sense.

(Photo courtesy of Matt Lemmon)