24 HOURS NO MORE

Some Las Vegas stores that once featured round-the-clock hours now are closing early

Las Vegas has always been considered a quintessential 24-hour city, a place where anything done at 3 p.m. can also be done at 3 a.m. But in recent years, some round-theclock discount stores, supermarkets and pharmacies have been cutting back their hours and closing overnight.

The reason, according to retailers and analysts: Fewer late-night customers, an increased threat of shoplifting and competition from online retailers such as Amazon.

As recently as five years ago, more than a dozen Walmart Supercenters in the valley were open 24 hours a day. Now there are only three. The other dozen open at 6 a.m. and close at midnight.

Smith’s, which operates 36 grocery stores in Clark County, has 15 stores that are open 24 hours, down from 22 in January 2017.

Just five of 31 Albertsons supermarkets in the valley are still open 24 hours, as three more stores cut their hours last year. Also last year, four of eight Vons locations in the valley dropped their around-the-clock schedules.

Walmart spokesman Casey Staheli said fewer people were shopping in the middle of the night. Smith’s spokeswoman Aubriana Martindale also said light overnight volume at its Las Vegas stores had made it more costly to stay open around the clock.

David Livingston, a supermarket analyst who owns Indiana-based DJL Research, said stores nationwide were reducing their hours.

“Most likely, these stores are just not doing enough business,” Livingston said.