Lowe's, a popular home improvement retailer, announced it will close all of its more than 1,700 stores and contact centers for 24 hours.
The day? April 20, which marks Easter Sunday this year. And the reason Lowe's stores are closing is to give employees a day off, particularly during a faith and family holiday.
Lowe's chairman and CEO Marvin Ellison said: "I'm extremely proud of the commitment of our 300,000 associates who support our communities while providing excellent customer service — not only in spring, but all year-round. In recognition of our teams' continued hard work, we are pleased to provide a well-deserved day off so they can spend Easter with their loved ones."
Easter is one of the most important holidays in Christianity. While it isn't a national holiday, some retailers mark the occasion by closing their stores since it's widely celebrated.
Is it common for Lowe's stores to close on Easter?
Yes, Lowe's is one of the many retailers regularly closed on Easter. However, the occasion can also mark a big boon for retailers.
The National Retail Federation found 81% of those surveyed planned to celebrate Easter, with people spending on average $177.06 last year.
Moreover, Easter usually marks an occasion to spend money on more seasonal fare. The NRF found the most popular items bought during Easter include flowers, candy (refrigerated Reese's eggs are exceptionally delicious), gifts, food, clothing and greeting cards. And don't forget the plastic eggs for the hunt.
The bottom line
Recently, Lowe's announced it will close all of its store locations and contact center for Easter Sunday on April 20. This isn't unusual, as the retailer has closed its doors for this holiday before.
Therefore, if you plan to use that weekend to get some work done around the house, make sure to plan ahead before the closure.
