Walmart Store Changes: Retailer Extends Store Hours Amid Holiday Shopping Season

Walmart (WMT) is making more changes at its stores amid the coronavirus pandemic. The retailer announced Monday that it is extending its hours in mid-November.

The extended hours will go into effect at Walmart stores and Neighborhood Markets. Stores will be open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily until further notice. Stores that have more reduced hours will keep their current hours of operation, Walmart said.

Most Walmart stores are operating from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. currently. Prior to the coronavirus, many of Walmart’s stores were open 24 hours.

Walmart posted the announcement on Twitter, saying, “This will give customers more time to shop and help us disperse traffic throughout the day.”

The new store hours will also include dedicated shopping hours for those 60 and older and those that are most at risk of contracting the coronavirus, a Walmart representative told WSYR, an ABC affiliate in Syracuse, New York.

The dedicated shopping hour will occur one hour before stores open. Pharmacies and vision centers will also be open during this time, the Walmart representative told the news outlet.

Walmart has issued a number of changes at its stores since the coronavirus pandemic began, including adding plexiglass shields at its registers, promoting socials distancing within its stores, and requiring face masks for employees and customers.

The extended hours are expected to move forward unless they are prohibited by government regulations, Walmart said.

Walmart has also announced that it will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, which is the kickoff for Black Friday shopping in previous years. Walmart made the decision to close on Thanksgiving Day as it looks to reduce the spread of the coronavirus during the holidays.

Walmart joins retailers Target, Best Buy, Bed Bath & Beyond, Dick’s Sporting Goods, JC Penney, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Macy’s in their decision to remain closed on Thanksgiving Day.

Shares of Walmart were trading at $141.22 as of 1:41 p.m. EDT, down $2.63, or 1.83%.