U.S. retail will have permanently shorter European-style hours as a result of coronapanic?

With tens of millions of Americans on the “$600 per week and chill” plan, a lot of retailers shortened their hours. In theory, things should be getting back to normal (it was a brief shutdown to “flatten the curve,” right?), but at least our local supermarkets seem to have kept their new shorter hours.

Are we on track to become more like Europe, where if you don’t want to conform to the standard hours you won’t be able to get meals, food, etc.? (walk around Paris and see if you can find a 24-hour CVS!)

Readers: What have you seen in your regions of the country? Are hours still curtailed?

5 thoughts on “U.S. retail will have permanently shorter European-style hours as a result of coronapanic?

  1. Here in southern California, supermarkets and pharmacies have returned to earlier and later hours (for example, 5 a.m. to 1 a.m, in very affluent areas; 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. elsewhere), but not quite as early or late as before, and with fewer stores open 24 hours. Many smaller retailers and restaurants are still keeping reduced hours. Indoor malls remain closed by government order.

    Service stations and convenience stores have continued to be open 24 hours, except perhaps during the late May and early June curfews due to civil disturbances.

  2. Homeless Despot expanded its hours in the suburbs to meet the demand of all the former commuters who are now discovering they have houses. The west coast has always shut down by 9pm, but the east coast is understandably in shock.

    • Just returned home to Dallas from a week in San Diego area. I was shocked, well ok… mildly surprised… at how early things shut down. Especially restaurants in the beach communities.

  3. I don’t understand how shortening hours is supposed to help with not spreading the virus. It just increases the number of people in the store at any given time.

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