These Maine Businesses Will Be Closed on Easter Sunday

When I was a kid growing up in Northern Maine, nothing was open on Sundays.

Well, almost nothing.

Other than convenience stores and a few restaurants, everything was closed. By early afternoon, after church got out, downtown Houlton became a ghost town on Sundays.

Back then, in the 80s & 90s, that was a common occurrence in many Maine communities. Maine's 'Blue Laws' prevented many types of businesses from being open on Sundays.

A lot has changed since then. These days, with the 'Blue Laws' scaled back, most public-facing businesses are open 7-days a week.

There are a few exceptions, though.

What Are 'Blue Laws'?

While they have been greatly scaled back over the years, Maine does still have 'Blue Laws'.

Originally intended to ensure that workers could attend religious services, these days they are aimed at making sure that the majority of workers will be able to spend major holidays with their families.

With the exception of preventing Sunday hunting and vehicle sales on Sundays, they mainly prevent larger businesses from being open on major holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.

The Maine Legislature website quotes the statute, in part:

In no event, however, may any store having more than 5,000 square feet of interior customer selling space be open on Easter Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

What's Closed in Maine on Easter Sunday?

While it may seem like quite a bit of space, 5,000 square feet is fairly small when it comes to retailers.

As a result, most major stores are going to be closed on Easter. These include Hannaford, Shaw's, Walmart, Kohls, Target, etc.

Even if they are smaller than the 5,000 square foot limit, many specialty stores and non-retail businesses will probably be closed. Automotive garages, dispensaries, specialty product stores (like video game stores), etc.

You may find that most restaurants, coffee shops (especially chains), convenience stores, and pharmacies will be open.

Your best bet, however, would be to plan ahead. Get done what you need to get done on the Friday and Saturday before Easter. That way you don't have to scramble to find a place that's open.