Stores That Are Closed On New Year’s Day

Most people will have the day off on Monday, January 1, 2024.  New Year's Day is a federal holiday,  so here is a list of stores that are closed on New Year's Day.

Since New Year's Day falls on a Monday, all federal and local government offices will be closed in observance.  Also, all libraries in Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, and Hernando counties will be closed.  There will be no mail or trash collection on Monday either.

Most restaurants will be open, but it is best to call ahead and double-check as hours may change.  National chains like McDonalds and Burger King will be open.   New Year's Eve is one of the biggest holidays in the food industry, so some may have extended hours.

The two big stores that are closed on New Year's Day are Costco and Sam's.  Costco is only closed seven days in a year and New Year's Day is one of them.  Lucky for those employees.  The store will still have regular hours on December 31st and the following day January 2nd.

Sam's Club is the other big one.  Sam's will be open from 7am - 6pm on New Year's Eve but will be closed on Monday.  Lucky for some guys who just want to lay around and watch football all day, they don't have to go and run errands with their wives.

Other stores that are closed on New Year's Day; are Aldi, Trader Joe's, and Walgreens.   Some Aldi locations will have reduced hours for New Year's Eve, but all will be closed Monday.   Trader Joe's will close early on Sunday at 5pm and remain closed on New Year's Day.   Walgreens said their hours and closures depend on locations, so best to check your local store.

Hopefully your business is closed on New Years Day and you don't have to work either.  Take the day to relax before hitting it hard in 2024.

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We've had quite the cold front in Tampa Bay the past few weeks. With temps as low as the 40s at night/early morning going into the high 60s during the day. This makes it easy to spot the difference between locals and tourists. Locals avoid dining outside at all costs during this time, even if it's the only option available at their favorite spot. Meanwhile, the tourists and transplants are walking around in shorts and t-shirts and heading to the beach. Whether you can tolerate the cold or not, these Tampa Bay restaurants will keep you warm outside with outdoor heated patios.

Normally eating outside in Florida is rough. You're usually a pile of sweat from the humidity within 20 minutes of sitting down. Or you're fighting off mosquitos and other bugs. But with the cooler weather in the fall/winter months, that changes some things. I always prefer to eat outside because usually it's less crowded. And it's much nicer during the months of November-March.

We got our inspiration for this list from Tampabaydatenightguide.com. They have a list of 50+ places to eat outside in Tampa Bay. We picked a few of our favorite spots that we know have plenty of heaters to keep you warm all night. Remember during the pandemic when it was your only choice? That forced a lot of local restaurant owners to invest in the gas-powered heaters. In some countries, they have banned these heaters because guzzle energy and pollute the air. But that would never happen in Florida.

Here are a couple places that we left off our list but are still great options for dining outdoors when it's cold. The Nona Slice House in Safety Harbor is a great place to go for some good pizza. However, the dining room is completely outdoors. Thankfully they've invested in multiple heaters for the dining room and picnic tables.

The other spot we love but left off our list is Luna Lounge. You can enjoy some great views of Downtown Tampa on this rooftop bar. There is a huge fireplace and multiple heaters to keep you warm, plus the sangria will always help!

If you've never been to American Social, you're missing out on a Tampa staple. This place has a huge, covered patio with plenty of heaters to keep you warm!

Miguelitos Taqueria Y Tequilas is the perfect date night or brunch spot! Their outdoor patio has plenty of overhead heaters to keep you warm during winter.

Kona Grill has one of the best late-night happy hours in Tampa! Their sushi and appetizers are so tasty and there are plenty of heaters on their HUGE outdoor patio!

Tampa Bay Brewing Company in Westchase has plenty of ways to keep you warm on their patio if you wanted to bring your pup along for a beer.

Walk-Ons is one of the newer spots in Midtown Tampa. The place is lined with TV's so you can catch the game on no matter where you sit. Their covered patio also has shades and heaters to stay toasty.