Holiday Closing Survey 2010

For Metro Milwaukee

Survey was conducted and released spring, 2010.

For further information contact
Economic Research Director BRET MAYBORNE at (414) 287.4122 or bmayborne@mmac.org 

>> Full PDF version of this report

Summary
The 2010 Metro Milwaukee Holiday Closing Survey report contains results from a survey of 150 major employers in the Milwaukee area on their closing plans for selected holidays in the upcoming year.  Please note that survey responses for some industry sub-groups are rather small.  Results for these categories should be used with some caution.

Good Friday
Seventy-two percent of all companies surveyed indicated that they would be open normal hours on Friday, April 2.  Nineteen percent said their firm would be closed all day, while 9% responded that they would be open but close early.

Memorial Day
Of all companies surveyed, 83% said they would be closed all day, Monday, May 31.  Thirteen percent plan to be open normal hours, while 5% indicated they would be open but would close early.  Selected service companies and retailers made up the majority of those who plan to be open at least part of the day. 

Independence Day
Among all responses, 85% indicated that they would be closed on Independence Day, Sunday, July 4.  Twelve percent plan to be open normal hours, and 3% will be open but will close early.  For the workweek days surrounding July 4, a large percentage of those surveyed (72%) plan to be closed on Monday, July 5 while the vast majority (85%) of employers plan to be open normal hours on Friday, July 2.  

Labor Day
Eighty-four percent of all companies surveyed said they would be closed all day on Labor Day, Monday, September 6.  Eleven percent plan to be open normal hours, while 5% indicated they would be open but would close early.  Selected service companies and retailers made up the largest part of those who plan to be open at least part of the day. 

Thanksgiving
For Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 25, 92% of all companies surveyed plan to be closed all day.  Five percent will be open normal hours and 1% will be open but will close early.  Ninety percent of companies will be open normal hours on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day, while 8% said they would be open but would close early.  Mixed results were expressed for Friday, November 27.  Fifty-nine percent of those surveyed responded that they would be closed for the day vs. the 37% who plan to be open normal hours.

Christmas
For Christmas Day, Saturday, December 25, 94% of all companies surveyed will be closed for the day.  Five percent (mostly service firms) will be open normal hours.  Seventy-one percent said they would be closed all day on Christmas Eve (Friday, December 24), 20% will be open but close early, while 9% will be open normal hours.  The majority (75%) of companies plan to be open normal hours on Monday, December 27, the first weekday following the Christmas holiday.  Only in the manufacturing sector does the largest portion (50%) of companies expect to be closed on Monday.

New Year's
Eighty-three percent of all responses indicated plans to be closed on New Year's Day, Saturday, January 1, 2011.  Eleven percent will be open normal hours and 6% will be open but will close early.  For New Year's Eve, Friday, December 31, 56% of all those surveyed will be closed all day, while 17% plan to be open but close early.  Twenty-six percent indicated they will be open all day, and 1% were undecided.  For the most part, regular business hours will be the norm on the year’s first weekday.  For Monday, January 3, 2011, 80% of surveyed companies plan to be open normal hours. 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday
Eighty-four percent of all companies surveyed said they would be open normal hours on Monday, January 17, 2011, the observed holiday for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday.  Fifteen percent plan to be closed all day, while 1% were undecided.