There’s a popular bumper sticker you might see around, especially if you live in a town with a strong attachment to manufacturing, that tends to go along the lines of “Do you love your weekend? Thank a union!”
Labor unions were once a widespread cultural force. The first Labor Day parade was held in 1887 in New York City, and that same year, Oregon made it a public holiday. By 1894, it became a federal holiday.
While labor activists and union leaders were among the earliest proponents of the holiday, it's more generally aimed to honor all workers, and "the laboring classes," according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Labor Day Marks the Unofficial end of Summer
Labor Day has long served as the unofficial end of summer. In some areas of the country, school begins the week of Labor Day, though in many other places now, classes begin in August.
While Labor Day is a salute to American workers, not everyone gets the day off.
Many businesses are open on the holiday, and Labor Day sales are a long-standing American tradition.
Labor Day sales exist to attract the attention of people who might take the day off to finally buy that new TV, or to attract parents who need to pick up something for their school-age children. Along with Black Friday and Memorial Day, it’s one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
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What's Open on Labor Day?
Public parks and beaches: You can almost certainly do one more picnic in the park before the summer ends. From the Grand Canyon to Grand Teton National Park, most national parks are open on Labor Day, but be sure to check with your specific park destination.
Movie theaters: The AMC Entertainment (AMC) and Cinemark (CNK) movie chains, among others, are open almost every holiday. Going to the movies also is a great way to escape the heat waves forecast in parts of the U.S. this weekend. Check your local theater for hours and showtimes, in case you still haven't seen "Nope."
Book stores: Most Barnes and Noble (BKS) stores will be open on Labor Day, so you can browse the magazine section to your heart's delight.
Starbucks and Dunkin: America's favorite coffee chains won't miss the opportunity to keep Labor Day sale hunters fully caffeinated. Most Starbucks (SBUX) and Dunkin (DNKN) locations will be open.
The Apple Store: Yup, you can upgrade your iPhone on Labor Day in person, as the Apple store (APPL) will be open.
Drug stores: Chains drug stores such as Rite Aid (RAD), CVS (CVS) and Walgreens (WBA) are loathe to ever take the day off, because you just never know when your loyal customer base will need some toilet paper. That said, some locations will have limited hours, and many locations will not have their pharmacies open.
Kohl’s, Lowe’s, Big Lots, Sam’s Club, Walmart, Target and Home Depot: None of the big box retailers (Kohl’s (KSS), Lowe’s, Big Lots (BIG), Sam’s Club, Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT) and Home Depot (HD)) are going to miss out on the Labor Day sales, though some might close a bit early.
While most retail chains remain open on the holidays, Costco's (COST) U.S. warehouses are closed for all major holidays.
Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Kroger, Walmart, Publix: Most chain grocery stores (including Trader Joe's, Whole Foods (owned by Amazon (AMZN)), Kroger (KR), and Walmart (WMT)) will be open, though some will close early.
Fast food restaurants: If you're planning a road trip, or you need something to eat on the way home from dropping your kids off at college, America's fast-food industry is always there to keep you fed on the run, as Arby's, Burger King (QSR), Chick-Fil-A, McDonald's (MCD), Panera Bread, Popeyes, Sonic, Subway and Taco Bell (YUM) will all be open.
Chain restaurants: A family meal is a nice way to celebrate a holiday. Olive Garden (DRI), Ruth's Chris Steak House (RUTH), California Pizza Kitchen, Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD) , Applebee's and Bonefish Grill (BLMN) are all open on Labor Day.
What's Closed on Labor Day?
Because it's a federal holiday, most schools, the U.S. Postal Service, local, state and federal offices, banks and, as noted above, Costco warehouses, are closed.
Your local post office will be closed and there won't be any regular mail delivery on Labor Day, but the USPS says Priority Mail and Express Mail packages may be delivered on that day. FedEX (FDX) and UPS (UPS) retail outlets will be closed and don't expect any deliveries Monday.
The financial markets: Labor Day is a U.S. stock market holiday. Bond markets and U.S. commodities exchanges also are closed. Foreign stock exchanges, however, trade as usual.
