If you live in Rhode Island and want to visit the mall on Thanksgiving Day, you’re out of luck. The doors will be locked. The mandatory closure of most retailers on the holiday is just one of Rhode Island’s so-called blue laws. Here are five things you should know about the statutes.
1. They date back to Colonial times
Blue laws originated in the 1600s, when Rhode Island and other New England colonies made it illegal to work on Sundays and religious holidays.
Over the years, courts have upheld these laws — not for religious reasons, but to give workers guaranteed shared days of rest.
2. Rhode Island is one of just three states with a Thanksgiving retail ban
Only Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Maine still prohibit most retail shopping on Thanksgiving.
In Rhode Island, there’s only one other holiday with similar restrictions: Christmas Day.
3. The state has loosened many of its other “blue laws”
Decades ago, the list of bans was much longer. Rhode Island:
- Allowed Sunday shopping for the first time in the early 1980s
- Later removed its Sunday liquor sales ban
- Also repealed its ban on Sunday car sales
4. There are exceptions
Some businesses are allowed to open on Thanksgiving Day, including:
- Pharmacies
- Restaurants
- Florists
- Bakeries
- Small grocery stores
And technically, video rental stores can open. Good luck finding one in 2025, however.
5. The law protects those working on Thanksgiving
For most workers, staffing on Thanksgiving must be voluntary. Employees are also entitled to:
- Time-and-a-half pay
- A minimum four-hour shift
For those who are impatient, you won’t have to wait too long to get your shopping fix. Black Friday shopping is legal in the Ocean State.
