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Altar'd State will be closing all of its stores on Christmas Eve for the first time this year. Stand Out For Good, Inc., the parent of the “faith-based” women's fashion boutique, said that although December 24 is one of its busiest days, having associates spend time with family outweighs the benefits.
"It's been a longtime goal of mine to close the stores on Christmas Eve," said Aaron Walters, chairman and CEO of Stand Out For Good, in a statement. "Our team works so hard to make the Christmas season happen, and they deserve to rest and relax at home with their families."
The Knoxville, Tennessee-based company’s other owned stores will also be closed. It operates 118 Altar'd State stores, 32 Arula boutiques, 10 Vow'd boutiques, nine AS Revival stores, and seven Tullabee boutiques in 38 states.
Stand Out For Good does not sell Christian apparel but said it has a “faith-based approach” to retailing with its flagship Altar'd State chain promising to deliver “a fashion experience on a mission to change the world for the better.” On Mondays, 10% of proceeds support nonprofits across the country.
“We are faith-based. It doesn’t matter what your background is, where are you from, or what your beliefs are,” to work or shop at Altar’d State, Walters told WWD in 2019 when Altar’d State’s Roosevelt Field mall store in New York opened. “But we do run our business on some simple principles — treat others how you want to be treated and give much help to others. We put love into our business.”
In recent years, many chains, including Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Kohl's, Macy's, and Dick's Sporting Goods, have closed stores on Thanksgiving in part to limit crowds amid the pandemic but also as a show of appreciation for associates. Target announced in 2021 that it was permanently closing its locations on Thanksgiving.
REI has earned wide media attention for its move since 2015 to close stores on Black Friday and encourage consumers to take time to explore the outdoors.
On Christmas Eve, stores are often packed with last-minute shoppers, but most retailers, including grocers, close early, typically 6 or 7 p.m. Costco, IKEA, and Home Depot stand out for closing locations at 5 p.m.