Memorial Day weekend is here. With all holidays, it can get confusing about what is open and what’s not. If you’re planning on getting out of the house, there is a good chance that you will need to know what is open on Monday, May 25, so that you don’t go someplace only to find that it’s closed. Most retail stores will be open (with exceptions) and most government offices will be closed. Here’s a rundown of what will be open and what will be closed on Memorial Day 2015.
Retail Stores
Most large retail stores are open. The vast majority of major retail chain stores like Walmart, Target and Macy’s will be open on Memorial Day, with many having special sales over the entire holiday weekend. The one big exception is Costco which will be closed on Monday, May 25 (here’s a list). If you do decide to go shopping, remember that a deal isn’t really a deal if it’s something that you would not have normally purchased.
Grocery Stores
Grocery stores are open. All major grocery store chains are open, but some of them may operate on holiday or Sunday hours (here’s a list). If you are planning a visit in the evening, you may want to call to make sure that they are open and don’t close early for the holiday.
Drug Stores
Drug stores are open. The three major drugstore chains (Walgreens, Rite Aid, and CVS Caremark) will be open on Monday. If you usually go to a local, independent drugstore, you should call to confirm whether or not they will be open, and if they will have special holiday hours.
Government Offices (Federal, State and Local)
Government offices are closed. All non-essential government offices will be closed for Memorial Day since it’s a federal holiday. This includes government offices from the federal to the local level. The exceptions are government offices that are deemed vital to safety and security. For example, social security offices, court houses and motor vehicles offices will all be closed while airline police departments and fire stations will be running.
Stock Market
Stock markets are closed. All the stock markets in the US do not run on Memorial Day and will be closed.
Banks and Credit Unions
Banks and credit unions are closed. Banks and credit unions will be closed on Monday May 25 for Memorial Day. It’s typical that financial institutions close on federal holidays like this, and we aren’t aware of any that will be open.
Despite the physical branches being closed for the day, you can still access your account online. You can also do some financial transactions at the bank’s ATMs. It’s important to note that if you do a transaction on a holiday, it may take until the next business day to arrive for the transaction to be completed.
Post Offices
Post offices are closed. As an official federal holiday, all post offices will be closed. There will also be no mail delivery on May 25.
Schools
Schools are closed. Both public and private schools usually observe federal holidays, and they will be closed to observe the holiday.
Libraries
Libraries are closed. Most libraries observe federal holidays, so they will be closed for the day.
Garbage Service
Garbage service is closed. If your garbage pickup is usually on a Monday, it won’t be picked up in most cities and towns on Monday, May 25. Most cities will have garbage pickup rescheduled for Tuesday, May 26, but check with your garbage service to make sure, because there are some exceptions.
Restaurants
In most cases, restaurants are open. Major chain restaurants should be open for Memorial Day. If you are planning to dine at an independently owned restaurant, it makes sense to call to verify they will be open.
Gas Stations
Gas stations are open. Most gas stations will be open on Memorial Day to cater to the vacation traffic coming home. If there is a particular gas station that is closed, there should be plenty of others in the area which remain open. If your gas station isn’t open 24 hours, then they may be on Sunday or holiday hours, rather than normal Monday hours.
(Photo courtesy of Jason Corey)
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Jeffrey strain is a freelance author, his work has appeared at The Street.com and seekingalpha.com. In addition to having authored thousands of articles, Jeffrey is a former resident of Japan, former owner of Savingadvice.com and a professional digital nomad.
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