What Stores Are Closed on Easter Sunday 2026: A Real-World Shopping Guide

If you’ve ever found yourself standing in front of the sliding glass doors of a Target, clutching a list of forgotten deviled egg ingredients while the store sits dark and empty, you know the specific sting of Easter Sunday shopping. It’s one of those holidays that feels like it should be business as usual—it's not Christmas, after all—but the retail landscape is actually a total minefield.

In 2026, Easter Sunday falls on March 29.

Honestly, the "is it open?" question is a bit of a mess because there isn’t a federal law forcing anyone to close. It’s mostly about corporate culture and giving employees a breather. Some of the biggest names in the game are staunchly "doors locked," while others, like Walmart, will stay open until the literal last minute.

What Stores Are Closed on Easter 2026?

Let’s get the big ones out of the way first. If you need a new patio set or a bulk-sized jar of mayonnaise on March 29, you are probably out of luck.

Target is the heavy hitter here. For the last several years, Target has committed to closing all of its nearly 2,000 stores on Easter Sunday. It’s a move they made to give their "team members" a day off with family, and there is zero indication that 2026 will be any different. Don't even bother driving there.

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Then there’s the warehouse club divide. Costco is famously closed on Easter Sunday. It’s one of the seven holidays where they shut down entirely. If you’re a Sam’s Club member, you’re in the same boat; they follow the same blackout schedule. Interestingly, their competitor BJ’s Wholesale Club often stays open with reduced hours, showing just how much these policies vary even within the same industry.

The Fashion and Home Goods Blackout

If you were planning on doing some spring clothes shopping, you should probably reschedule for Saturday. Most major department stores and "off-price" retailers shut their doors. This includes:

• Macy’s: Historically, they keep the lights off on Easter Sunday across the country.
• Kohl’s: Another big player that consistently chooses to close.
• T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods: These are all owned by TJX Companies, and they almost always shut down for the holiday.
• JCPenney: Don't expect to find anyone home here either.
• Best Buy: If your tech breaks mid-brunch, you'll have to wait until Monday.

The Grocery Store Gamble

This is where things get genuinely confusing. You can't just assume your local supermarket is open.

ALDI is a hard "no." They are one of the few grocery chains that closes nationwide for Easter. They keep it simple: New Year’s, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are the four days their staff gets to stay home.

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On the flip side, Publix is another big name that usually closes on Easter Sunday. This can be a shock to people in the South who rely on them for literally everything. H-E-B in Texas also follows a closure policy for Easter, though they usually reopen bright and early on Monday morning.

Who is actually open for groceries?

If you realize at 10:00 AM that you forgot the ham, head to Walmart. Unless there's a weird local ordinance in your specific town, Walmart is typically open during regular hours on Easter. They don’t close for much—basically just Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Trader Joe’s is usually open, though they often cut their hours short, sometimes closing by 5:00 PM. Whole Foods and Kroger (including its sub-brands like Harris Teeter or Ralphs) generally stay open, but you should 100% expect the pharmacy or the deli counter to have a skeleton crew or close early.

Why the "Easter Blackout" is Growing

You might wonder why more stores are joining the closure list lately. It’s not just about religion. Retailers are finding that being the "good guy" who gives employees holidays off is a massive recruiting tool in a tough labor market.

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Expert retail analysts, like those at GlobalData, have noted that for many stores, the cost of staying open on a day with lower-than-average foot traffic—thanks to people being at church or family dinners—just doesn't make sense. It’s cheaper to close and get the PR win.

Pharmacies and Last-Minute Essentials

If it’s a medical emergency or a "we ran out of toilet paper" crisis, CVS and Walgreens are your best bets. Most of these locations stay open 365 days a year, though the actual pharmacy window might have shorter hours (think 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM).

7-Eleven and most gas station convenience stores are the ultimate "open" stalwarts. They never sleep.

Actionable Tips for Easter 2026

To avoid the frustration of a wasted trip, keep these three things in mind as March 29 approaches:

1. The Saturday Rule: Treat Saturday, March 28, as your hard deadline. If you don't have it by 8:00 PM Saturday, assume you won't have it until Monday.
2. App Check: Don't trust the hours printed on a store's front door from three years ago. Use the store's official app on Sunday morning; they usually update holiday hours in real-time.
3. The Mall Factor: Even if a specific store wants to be open, if it's located inside a large shopping mall, it has to follow the mall's rules. Most major indoor malls close entirely on Easter, forcing every store inside to shut down too.

Plan your grocery run for the Friday or Saturday before Easter to ensure you aren't stuck relying on a gas station for your holiday dinner components. If you absolutely must shop on Sunday, aim for Walmart or a local Kroger-owned store, but check those local hours before you turn the key in the ignition.