Wednesday, January 1, 2025, is New Year’s Day. While Wednesday is typically a day of the week when the vast majority of companies are open for business, holidays can cause them to change their schedule, with some of them closing for the day. However, closing for federal holidays like New Year’s Day isn’t a legal requirement, so plenty of places will open, too. That can lead to some confusion, particularly if you’d like to handle some errands on January 1. If you’re wondering, “What’s open and closed on New Year’s Day?” here’s what you need to know.
What’s Open/Closed on New Year’s Day 2025?
Retail Stores
The majority of major retail stores are open on New Year’s Day. That includes popular shopping destinations like Walmart, Target, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowe’s, JC Penney, Petco, and many others.
However, there are a few exceptions. The most notable ones are Costco, Sam’s Club, and Hobby Lobby. Those three retailers do close on New Year’s Day, so you’ll have to shop elsewhere if you need to pick up items during the holiday.
When it comes to smaller chains or independently run retail stores, whether they’re open or closed can vary. As a result, you’ll want to check in advance to see if they’re open on New Year’s Day. Usually, information is available online, such as on the retailer’s website or social media profile.
Grocery Stores
As with major retailers, grocery stores are typically open on New Year’s Day. You can shop at Walmart, Target, Kroger, Safeway, HEB, Fred Meyer, QFC, Ralphs, Food Lion, Vons, Whole Foods, and more on January 1.
There are a couple of exceptions, however. For example, Aldi stores close for New Year’s Day, so you’ll have to go elsewhere if you need groceries on January 1.
Drug Stores
Drug stores are usually open on New Year’s Day. That includes popular chains like Walgreens, Rite Aid, and CVS. However, independent drug stores may close for the holiday.
Additionally, pharmacy counters may have limited operating hours or may not be available on New Year’s Day, even at some larger chain drug stores. If you need to speak with a pharmacist or pick up a prescription, check with your preferred drug store in advance to make sure that services are available during the holiday.
Restaurants
If you want to dine out on New Year’s Day, most chain restaurants are open and welcoming customers. With smaller, independent restaurants, whether they’re open can vary. As a result, if you plan on going to a restaurant that’s not part of a large chain, it’s best to check in advance to see if it closes for the holiday.
Gas Stations
Generally, gas stations are open on New Year’s Day, allowing you to shop in the convenience store if you’d like. Additionally, exterior services like pay-at-the-pump gasoline are almost always available.
It’s critical to note that exceptions do happen. For instance, Costco gas stations aren’t always manned on New Year’s Day, so pay-at-the-pump may be the only available service there.
Government Offices
Government offices are largely closed on New Year’s Day since they tend to follow the federal holiday schedule. The main exceptions tend to be agencies focused on public safety and national security, which usually maintain operations 24/7/365.
Banks and Credit Unions
Banks and credit unions are closed on New Year’s Day, as they usually align their closures with the federal holiday schedule. However, it’s possible to do some limited banking through ATMs, as well as online and mobile banking apps. Just be aware that any transactions initiated on January 1 may not start processing until the next business day, which happens on Thursday, January 2, 2025.
US Stock and Bond Markets
The US stock and bond markets are closed on New Year’s Day. In most cases, the stock and bond market in the US follows the federal holiday schedule, barring a few specific instances. As a result, there won’t be any traditional trading hours during the holiday.
K-12 Schools, Colleges, and Universities
Generally, all schools – including K-12 public and private schools, colleges, and universities – are closed on New Year’s Day. Along with it being a holiday, many of those institutions are still on winter break on January 1, so there aren’t any classes.
Additionally, any campus-based services may be limited on New Year’s Day. For example, cafeteria service might not be available, nor might retail service be available at campus bookstores.
Public Libraries
Public libraries are closed on New Year’s Day. Generally, libraries follow the federal holiday schedule (or a similarly, slightly modified state version), causing them to close on New Year’s Day.
Garbage Services
Whether garbage services are available varies by location. Some garbage pickups happen regardless of whether there’s a holiday, though other companies may choose to reschedule pickups to another day instead.
Similarly, whether city or county dumps are open also varies. As a result, you’ll want to check in advance if you were hoping to head to the landfill to drop anything off.
Mail and Parcel Services
Mail and parcel services are largely closed on New Year’s Day. The United States Postal Service (USPS) is a federal government agency, so it follows the federal holiday schedule. That means customer service employees aren’t available, and there’s no mail delivery or pick up, though some self-service options might be available if that part of the post office building is accessible.
Additionally, FedEx and UPS don’t’ operate fully on New Year’s Day. The main exceptions are FedEx Custom Critical and UPS Express Critical, as those are available every day of the year. Everything else generally doesn’t run on January 1, so keep that in mind if you need to ship or mail anything near the holiday.
Do you have any exciting plans for New Year’s Day? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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