Retail store hours...when is closed really closed?

[tvguy]

Walked into a jewelry store today exactly 30 minutes before closing. They had put up all the jewelry for the day. A couple of weeks ago I went into the FedEx store 40 minutes before closing to get documents notorized. Lady said comeback tomorrow, it would take too long to do "this close to closing". It was 10 minutes work max.

So, am I being unreasonable to expect a business to be ready to do business 30 minutes BEFORE closing? I haven't worked in that type of business in 36 years. In those days our work hours extended 30 minutes after closing to the public. That allowed time to count cash, setup for the next day, dump the trash and clean up. Now it seems workers are out the door right at closing.

 

[bsblady01]

when I worked at toys r us in high school we had to take care of people right up to closing at 9pm, we had to stay 30 min after to count the cash and clean up. you need to talk to management that is no way to run a store.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

What's closing time? Well I figure when the hounds are released, I better high tail it out of there.



Usually retail establishments should be open until the time posted. Certain things within a retail store such as the salon or the bank or the little clinic or a notary service for example, might close earlier.
As for restaurants, I usually don't walk into a full service within 30 minutes of closing. I will walk into a fast food right up until closing. But if it's within 15 minutes, I get it to go.

 

[tvguy]

when I worked at toys r us in high school we had to take care of people right up to closing at 9pm, we had to stay 30 min after to count the cash and clean up. you need to talk to management that is no way to run a store.

No need to talk to management, these were the owners.
In the case of FedEX, we won't be going back.
In the case of the Jewelry store, well, they have awesome stuff and service and they can kind of set their own rules. We have been doing business there for 25 years, and they do unbelievable work at reasonable prices. Especially since DW was just going to window shop some of their estate jewelry.

 

[5kidsmommy]

I expect to be able to walk into a store up until closing. I won't be a jerk though, I try to be out of there quickly but if I need something quick I will go into a store a few minutes before closing.

I worked retail for many years, we never stopped anyone from coming in until the time we actually closed which mean if someone came in at 9:59 on a 10:00 closing night we let them in. You always expect to work later than actual closing time.

 

[ilovefh]

What's closing time? Well I figure when the hounds are released, I better high tail it out of there.



Usually retail establishments should be open until the time posted. Certain things within a retail store such as the salon or the bank or the little clinic or a notary service for example, might close earlier.
As for restaurants, I usually don't walk into a full service within 30 minutes of closing. I will walk into a fast food right up until closing. But if it's within 15 minutes, I get it to go.

When I used to waitress it never bothered me when people came in right before closing. Many of my coworkers got angry so I always volunteered to take the table. Did I want to go home? Sure, but without tables I wouldn't make money! Most times we all ended up leaving at the same time anyway so they did their closing work "for free" while I multitasked and made money! Although if the people came in and sat for 3 hours, then I was annoyed!

 

[AJ1983]

If its a place where you can conclude your business in five minutes then you should be able to walk in until closing. Places like restaurants I would not enter unless i was sure I could be left within a bery short time of closing. It would also depend on how busy it was..if the place is full and the employees arent going home anytime soon i would go in. If the place is empty im not holding up the cook waitress dishwasher and possibly other employees so i can spend $20.

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

I sort of understand sometimes getting out early.
An example was a couple of weeks ago I stopped by the local barber shop to get a haircut. It was around 3:00 and he said I was his 1st customer that day, now normally he has a steady traffic flow. He said he's going to close early to get some yard work done at home. Maybe the FedEx office and jewelry store had similar days, not to busy so they are going to allow everyone to go home early that day.

 

[Christine]

The jewelry store I sort of understand. Jewelry stores, notorioiusly, aren't high "traffic" types of retail spots, especially the private ones that are outside of a shopping mall. So I can see the would start putting their stuff away close to closing time.

The notary thing was more odd. I have found that any notary work I need done never takes longer than 5-10 minutes so why you could not have that done 40 minutes prior is not good. I have been to places where the notary was not there during all of the open hours, but that's different than being there and turning you away.

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

Also do they charge for the Notarizing?
Or is this a free service offered?

 

[mondragon]

How do you know the Notary was even there.

 

[teller80]

How do you know the Notary was even there.

Because they said "it would take too long", not "the notary isn't in". Which would have been the smarter thing to say regardless.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Walked into a jewelry store today exactly 30 minutes before closing. They had put up all the jewelry for the day. A couple of weeks ago I went into the FedEx store 40 minutes before closing to get documents notorized. Lady said comeback tomorrow, it would take too long to do "this close to closing". It was 10 minutes work max.

So, am I being unreasonable to expect a business to be ready to do business 30 minutes BEFORE closing? I haven't worked in that type of business in 36 years. In those days our work hours extended 30 minutes after closing to the public. That allowed time to count cash, setup for the next day, dump the trash and clean up. Now it seems workers are out the door right at closing.

As an hourly employee, we have to clock out at closing.

I can see the jewelry store having the jewelry put up. That would take some time to do.

As far as FedEX, well, that is annoying. 40 mins before close should have been plenty of time. Our bank does notary for free.

So yes, bottom line do not wait until closing to do business at some establishments.

 

[sam_gordon]

I would expect a store to be able to do business up until the posted closing time. However, I don't know of any rule or law that requires them to follow those hours. So all you can do is either complain, don't shop there anymore, or live with it.

 

[jdb in AZ]

We went to a Chinese restaurant in a high-end strip mall 30 mins before closing but they said it had been a slow night so the chef had already gone.

On a road-trip I was ready for a late breakfast so went to a fast-food restaurant just off the freeway, and the sign said they opened at 11 a.m. This was 11:15 a.m. and the cashier was still preparing the cash drawer and refused to take a simple order.

 

[morgan98]

Right or wrong, I feel that it is completely okay for a small family run place to decide it is not worth it to stay open. For example, the barber shop and the Chinese restaurant mentioned above. But established stores and franchises should be expected to provide services until closing time. They can go down to a skeleton crew, but they should still accept customers.

The Fed-Ex store thing I find especially strange. They want too hold themselves out to be a solution for shipping, copying, etc. so people should be able to count on them to provide services. In the case of the notary, they should post the notary hours if they are different than the store hours posted.

 

[mamamary]

Ds works at a fast food place And when the owners check in towards the end of the day if it has been slow sometimes they have him close the store. Before he got his license it was hard because we would get the call to come pick him up. When I would get him I would see people go to the door and when they couldn't get in they would look at the posted hours and then check their watch. If they close early my son also doesn't get paid so he doesn't like when they do that

 

[lsyorke]

There's a restaurant in our town..nothing fancy, pretty much a dive with good sandwiches and burgers. Their "closing" is so fluid that you never know when they are going to be there. They have 9pm posted on their web site, but we've called for a take out order at 7 and been told "we're already cleaning the grill, sorry". Moral of the story, they did that to so many potential customers that people stopped going there at any hour...a year later they were out of business. If you want to survive you better be open to provide the service you are selling. Oh, and then they complained how they just "couldn't make enough money to stay open"...Duh!

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

There's a restaurant in our town..nothing fancy, pretty much a dive with good sandwiches and burgers. Their "closing" is so fluid that you never know when they are going to be there. They have 9pm posted on their web site, but we've called for a take out order at 7 and been told "we're already cleaning the grill, sorry". Moral of the story, they did that to so many potential customers that people stopped going there at any hour...a year later they were out of business. If you want to survive you better be open to provide the service you are selling. Oh, and then they complained how they just "couldn't make enough money to stay open"...Duh!

I wonder which actually happened first, the shorter hours or the no customers.

 

[lsyorke]

I wonder which actually happened first, the shorter hours or the no customers.

I'd have to say it was the inconsistency. If one never knows when you're going to be open, they'll find someplace that is keeping their posted hours. It was a shame..they had great disco fries, LOL!