Publix to close all 1,448 stores for 24 hours as it joins retail 'blackout'

Publix has announced that it will be closing its doors for 24 hours across all 1,448 stores in the coming weeks as it joins a huge nationwide retail 'blackout' for Easter.

But while Publix preps for a holiday shut down this spring, one US retail giant is promising to remain open for patrons in need of last-minute holiday essentials.

The Publix announcement comes after another beloved chain announced it would also close 1,100 branches across the country as it also participates in Easter celebrations.

The religious observation of Easter, known for marking the conclusion of Lent, does not adhere to a set date each year and instead relies on lunar calculations.

Typically oscillating between March 22 and April 25, Easter lands on the first Sunday post the initial full moon after the vernal equinox. This year, Easter Sunday is scheduled for April 20.

Publix joins a list of businesses opting for a day off during the Easter period, with numerous other retailers following suit.

Although Publix remains operational on holidays including Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, and January 1st, it traditionally shuts down for Thanksgiving and December 25th.

If you're scrambling for last-minute Easter groceries, be sure to plan ahead since stores like Sam's Club and Publix will be closed for the holiday.

While not all major retailers have disclosed their 2025 holiday hours yet, past years' schedules can often give a clue as to whether they'll be open on specific holidays.

Last year, retailers such as JCPenney, Kohl's, Macy's, H-E-B, Michaels, Lowe's, Best Buy, and Marshalls were all shuttered on Easter Sunday, hinting that they might close again on April 20.

On the flip side, Walmart, Trader Joe's, and Kroger kept their doors open last Easter, suggesting they may welcome shoppers during the holiday season once more.

Here's the rundown of stores expected to close this Easter -.

The future looks grim for physical stores, with Coresight Research forecasting about 15,000 closures by 2025—a number nearly twice as high as last year's. Conversely, new brick-and-mortar store openings are predicted to dip slightly, with around 5,800 anticipated.

Scott Y. Stuart, CEO of Turnaround Management Association, commented on the challenges traditional retail faces in the post-pandemic era, stating: "Retail has always been an area of high volatility where reorganizations, and restructurings are quite common."

He further stated, "While that changes during different cycles, this one being a post pandemic cycle where the convalescence of a host of factors, including online market place, work from home affecting urban center traffic, commercial real estate costs, and normal pressures effacing consumer spending, and changes in consumer habits, are all at play right now."