Milwaukee grocery store hours for Christmas 2025

Planning your holiday grocery runs this year? Nearly every major grocery store in the Milwaukee area will close on Christmas Day 2025, but most remain open on Christmas Eve with reduced hours—some closing as early as 4 PM. This comprehensive guide covers exact hours, locations, and smart strategies to help your family navigate holiday shopping without last-minute stress.

Christmas Day falls on a Thursday this year, making Christmas Eve (Wednesday, December 24) a prime shopping day for many families juggling work schedules with holiday preparations. The key to success? Shop early in the week, know your store's exact closing time, and bookmark a Kwik Trip location for those inevitable "we forgot the butter!" moments.

Pick 'n Save and Metro Market

The Kroger-owned grocery duo that dominates Milwaukee's shopping landscape offers convenient but limited holiday hours. Both chains will operate 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Christmas Eve, with pharmacies closing earlier at 5:00 PM. Both are closed Christmas Day.

Metro Market serves North Shore families particularly well with locations in Shorewood (4075 N. Oakland Ave.), Glendale (6969 N. Port Washington Rd.), and Mequon (11558 N. Port Washington Rd.). The Glendale location sits near Bayshore and conveniently serves Whitefish Bay, Brown Deer, and River Hills shoppers. Downtown Milwaukee's Van Buren Street location and the Brookfield store round out the metro area presence.

Pick 'n Save operates more than 20 Milwaukee-area locations, including stores on Lyon Street (East Pointe), Capitol Drive, Bluemound Road, and Good Hope Road. Their extensive footprint means you're rarely far from one, though holiday crowds can make the shopping experience challenging.

Both stores participate in Kroger's fuel points program, redeemable at BP and Amoco stations—a nice perk for families filling up before holiday road trips.

Sendik's: Wisconsin's beloved local grocer

Family-owned since 1926 when Sicilian immigrant Salvatore Balistreri opened the first location, Sendik's represents exactly the kind of local business North Shore families should prioritize this holiday season. With 18 full-service stores plus four Fresh2GO locations, this Wisconsin treasure offers exceptional deli, bakery, meat, and Wisconsin cheese selections.

North Shore locations include stores in Whitefish Bay (500 E. Silver Spring Dr.), Mequon (10930 N. Port Washington Rd.), and a Fresh2GO in Bayside. Additional locations in Wauwatosa, Greenfield, Elm Grove, Brookfield, and Grafton serve the greater metro area.

While Sendik's hasn't published centralized 2025 holiday hours, expect reduced Christmas Eve hours (likely closing by 5-6 PM) and Christmas Day closure. Call your local store to confirm exact times.

What makes Sendik's worth the effort? Their holiday pre-order menu features prepared meals, sides, and desserts with reheating instructions—perfect for families wanting quality without the cooking stress. Order at sendiks.com/holiday through December 22 for pickup through December 24. The chain hosts cookie walks and Santa events throughout December, making shopping an experience rather than a chore.

Named Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Top Employer since 2012, Sendik's was also Wisconsin's first grocery store to convert food waste into energy. Shopping here supports local jobs and environmental responsibility.

Specialty and natural grocers

Whole Foods Market

The two Milwaukee-area Whole Foods locations—Milwaukee East Side (2305 N. Prospect Ave.) and Wauwatosa (11100 W. Burleigh St.)—operate 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Christmas Eve and are closed Christmas Day.

Pre-made holiday feasts range from $89.99 to $499.99, including herb-roasted turkey with all the trimmings. Orders opened November 29 through December 21, with pickup December 20-24 (curbside available). Amazon Prime members receive extra discounts. The stores feature Wisconsin producers including Mayana Chocolate (Spooner), Purple Door Ice Cream (Milwaukee), and Marieke cheese.

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market

With locations in Milwaukee's Lower East Side (470 E. Pleasant St.) and Brookfield (17300 W. Bluemound Rd.), Fresh Thyme operates 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Christmas Eve and closes Christmas Day. Their holiday meat reservations—including antibiotic-free hams, Certified Angus Beef roasts, and humanely raised lamb—run December 11-23 for pickup through December 23.

Trader Joe's

The famously quirky grocery chain operates two Milwaukee-area stores: Glendale (5600 N. Port Washington Rd., serving Whitefish Bay and Shorewood) and Brookfield (12665 W. Bluemound Rd.). Christmas Eve hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM—one of the earliest closings among specialty grocers. Closed Christmas Day.

Trader Joe's seasonal items make excellent last-minute additions: affordable sushi platters for gatherings, $1 greeting cards, vibrant holiday bouquets, and unique appetizers. Don't forget to send the kids on the treasure hunt for the hidden stuffed lemur—finding it earns a prize.

Festival Foods brings Wisconsin pride to holiday shopping

This employee and family-owned Wisconsin company (Skogen family) operates three core Milwaukee metro stores in Hales Corners (5600 S. 108th St.), West Allis (11111 W. Greenfield Ave.), and Greenfield (4777 S. 27th St.), plus nearby locations in Hartford and Mount Pleasant.

Christmas Eve hours: 6:00 AM to 5:30 PM with Click N Go pickup available 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Closed Christmas Day.

The Hales Corners location features a hot bar, salad bar, Heroes Café, and even EV charging stations. Holiday meal ordering ran December 1-22 with pickup December 20-24. Festival Foods' Gas Rewards partnership with Kwik Trip adds value for families filling up holiday tanks.

Discount and warehouse stores close early Christmas Eve

ALDI

With the shortest Christmas Eve hours among major grocers—9:00 AM to 4:00 PM—ALDI requires early planning. Closed Christmas Day.

Milwaukee-area locations include stores on Capitol Drive, Oklahoma Avenue, Hopkins Street, and multiple suburban spots in Glendale (6825 N. Port Washington Rd.), Wauwatosa, Greenfield, Brown Deer, and Menomonee Falls. No membership required.

Costco

Important for North Shore families: There's currently no Costco in Milwaukee County. The nearest locations sit in Menomonee Falls, New Berlin, Pewaukee, and Grafton. A Franklin location (the first in Milwaukee County) is in planning.

Christmas Eve: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Executive members gain one-hour early access). Closed Christmas Day. Membership ($65-$130 annually) required.

Sam's Club

The single Milwaukee-area location at 8050 N. 124th Street operates 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Christmas Eve (Plus members get the 8 AM start; Club members begin at 9 AM). Closed Christmas Day.

Woodman's Food Market

This 100% employee-owned Wisconsin company (since 1978) deserves recognition alongside Sendik's for supporting local workers. Four Milwaukee-area locations serve families: Oak Creek (8131 S. Howell Ave.), Menomonee Falls (W124N8145 Hwy 145), Waukesha (1600 E. Main St.), and Racine (5430 Durand Ave.).

Christmas Eve: 7:15 AM to 5:45 PM—among the earliest openings and longest windows among discount grocers. Closed Christmas Day.

Woodman's stores average 230,000 square feet with massive selection and very low prices. Important note: they do not accept credit cards—bring cash, check, or debit. Separate liquor stores have their own hours and checkout.

Big box grocery with extended holiday hours

Target

Target offers the latest Christmas Eve closing among major retailers: 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Drive Up and Order Pickup available until 6:00 PM; same-day delivery on orders placed by 3:00 PM. Closed Christmas Day.

Milwaukee-area Target stores with full grocery sections include locations on Brown Deer Road, Chase Avenue, Miller Park Way, and suburban stores in West Allis, Greenfield, Oak Creek, Franklin, Brookfield, Wauwatosa, Waukesha, and New Berlin.

Walmart Supercenter

Christmas Eve: 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM with Express Delivery available until 5:00 PM (extended deadline for 2025). Closed Christmas Day.

Milwaukee-area Supercenters operate on Capitol Drive, S. 27th Street, Greenfield Avenue (West Milwaukee), and suburban locations in Franklin, Greendale, Greenfield, and South Milwaukee. Extended holiday return policy allows purchases made October 1-December 31 to be returned through January 31.

Meijer

Christmas Eve: 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM (hours may vary slightly by location). Closed Christmas Day.

Greater Milwaukee Meijer locations include stores in Greenfield (5800 W. Layton Ave.), Oak Creek, Wauwatosa, Grafton, Pewaukee, Sussex, Waukesha, and West Bend. Pharmacies close around 6:00 PM on Christmas Eve.

Your Christmas Day lifelines: what's actually open

When every major grocery store closes Christmas Day, these options save the holiday:

Kwik Trip operates 24 hours, 365 days a year—including Christmas Day. Multiple Milwaukee-area locations carry milk, eggs, bread, basic produce, and fresh bakery items. Bookmark your nearest location now.

Walgreens stays open Christmas Day, typically 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (24-hour locations remain open around the clock). Limited grocery selection but sufficient for emergencies.

CVS operates most locations 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM on Christmas Day with basic grocery items available.

7-Eleven and Circle K convenience stores generally operate 24/7 including Christmas.

Smart strategies for stress-free holiday shopping

Shop by Monday, December 22 to avoid the worst crowds. This year's busiest shopping days will be Saturday, December 20 ("Super Saturday") and Sunday, December 21 ("Super Sunday"). Monday and Tuesday see heavy after-work rushes.

Morning hours win every time. Whether shopping Christmas Eve or earlier, arriving between store opening and 9:00 AM means shorter lines and fuller shelves. Christmas Eve afternoons become increasingly chaotic as closing time approaches.

Online ordering eliminates store stress. Pick 'n Save and Metro Market offer free curbside pickup on orders over $35. Walmart's Express Delivery promises arrival as fast as one hour on orders placed by 5:00 PM Christmas Eve. Target's Drive Up service typically has orders ready within two hours. Book delivery slots by mid-December—they fill fast.

Check Google Maps' "busyness" feature before leaving home to see real-time store traffic.

Explore ethnic groceries for unique finds and calmer shopping. Cermak Fresh Market (1541 Miller Park Way) offers international items including fresh tortillas—perfect for Christmas tamales. Pacific Produce (5455 S. 27th St.) is Milwaukee's largest Asian supermarket. Glorioso's Italian Market on Brady Street has operated since 1946 with exceptional deli, cheeses, and bakery items.

Conclusion

Holiday grocery shopping in Milwaukee requires strategic timing this year. With Christmas falling on Thursday, December 25, 2025, most families will need to complete shopping by Wednesday evening—and the smartest will finish by Monday. Target offers the latest Christmas Eve closing at 8:00 PM, while ALDI closes earliest at 4:00 PM.

Supporting local businesses like Sendik's (family-owned since 1926) and Woodman's (100% employee-owned) keeps Wisconsin jobs strong while providing exceptional quality. Both offer early Christmas Eve hours and extensive holiday meal options worth pre-ordering.

Most critically, every major grocery store closes Christmas Day. Save Kwik Trip's address in your phone now—it's open 24/7/365 and will rescue forgotten ingredients when nothing else can. Happy holidays, Milwaukee families!