Are Liquor Stores Open or Closed on Veterans Day 2019?

Getty Are Liquor stores open on Veterans Day, 2019?

Veteran’s Day 2019 is finally here, and for those of you looking for a drink to toast those special veterans and military loved ones in your life, you’re in luck. Most liquor stores remain open on Veterans Day, as do grocery stores, bars and restaurants, so you should have no problem finding a local store that sells alcohol.

Celebrated on November 11 each year (with the following Monday observed for federal workers), Veterans Day honors the nation’s estimated 18.2 million veterans who have served in the U.S. military. The federal holiday dates back to World War I and marks the end of the war, which ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.

As noted above, most liquor stores, bars, pubs, restaurants and alcohol vendors will likely remain open today, although we always recommend calling your local store to make sure, as hours often vary by location.

Liquor Stores Are Usually Open on Most Holidays, Although Locations Vary by State & County

GettyLiquor Stores are usually open on Veterans Day.

Most liquor stores remain open on holidays such as Veterans Day, Presidents Day, Columbus Day, and other smaller federal holidays, depending on the location of the store and the day the holiday falls on. Labor Day and the 4th of July are popular holidays for drinking, cookouts and parties, so many larger liquor stores will stay open for at least half of the day to accommodate last-minute shoppers.

As for other, major holidays, it depends. Many liquor stores will remain open on Easter Sunday unless you live in a county that observes Blue laws, which restricts the purchasing and selling of alcohol on Sundays. If so, drinkers need to stock up before the holiday to ensure they don’t don’t run out, as your local stores might be closed and/or not allowed to sell liquor.

Meanwhile, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day liquor laws can get confusing. Some states require liquor stores to be closed on New Year’s, while others are only concerned about sales on Sunday (as mentioned above). With New Year’s Eve right around the corner, you can check out a full list of state-by-state laws here. For more details on state alcohol laws, you can also check out Wikipedia’s detailed page here and Legal Beer’s page here.

Christmas Eve and Day liquor laws also depend on the location, and is often left up to the owner’s discretion if the store remains open. Since holiday liquor laws can be complicated depending on your location, we always recommend calling ahead to make sure your local store is open before stepping out on holidays.

Banks, Libraries, Postal Services & Other Government Services Are Closed on Veterans Day

GettyYes, Veterans Day 2019 is a national holiday.

Veterans Day is a federal holiday, so most government-run services and locations will be closed today, including banks, post offices and most public schools. The majority of restaurants, retail stores and grocery stores will remain open and often have deals and freebies for veterans and their families throughout the day.

Popular grocery stores such as Aldi, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods are open for regular business hours today, and places like Starbucks, Subway, Panera Bread and Little Caesars offer discounts, free meals, free coffee and deals for veterans and active military to honor the holiday.