December 8th: Which stores will open during Austria's public holiday?

Mariä Empfängnis, or the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, observed on December 8th, is a public holiday in Austria, a country that celebrates several Catholic dates.

As the country commemorates the holiday, which relates to the supposed conception of Mary by her mother, Anna, free of any sin, rules would have dictated that shops and stores be closed - with very few exceptions.

However, the last holiday before Christmas gets special treatment in Austria and commerce is allowed to keep their doors open for those looking to do their season shopping ahead of time. These voluntary store openings have happened since 1995, and the workers get extra holiday pay if they work or can refuse to come in without giving a reason, as long as they provide a note ahead of time.

The store openings are optional, though, and knowing which retailers are open can get confusing despite the public holiday.

READ ALSO: Is Vienna really a boring city to live in for foreigners?

Restaurants, bakeries and supermarkets

Just as with any other holiday, most restaurants and food places will be open for service. However, bakeries usually close down on holidays and Sundays. Two main chains, Anker and Ströck, will open - albeit with restrictions. 

Anker will open some of its branches (most of them, they told the Austrian media) and have special opening hours, which can vary. Ströck will also open some branches with varying opening hours, which you can check out HERE.

Supermarkets will also be open, with different policies. Spar will open Interspar and Eurospar stores (along with the ones that already are allowed to stay open during holidays) from 10 am to 6 pm. Billa, Billa Plus, and Penny, on the other hand, will be closed - except for those units allowed to open on Sundays and regular holidays. You can check out a list HERE.

Hofer is opening all its stores from 10 am to 6 pm, but both Lidl and Denn'’ stores remain closed.

READ ALSO: Everything you need to know about supermarkets in Austria

Drugstores and supplies

While the German drugstore chain DM operates on Mariä Empfängnis this year, Bipa branches will remain closed. All Libro stores, except for six branches in Vienna, Bad Vöslau, Vösendorf, Ottensheim, and Mauthausen, will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Most Pagro Diskont stores will open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with exceptions limited to only four stores in Vienna, St. Pölten, Laarkirchen, and Mauthausen.

READ ALSO: Why everything in Austria is closed on Sundays – and what to do instead

Clothes and ski equipment

During the Christmas shopping season, several stores have decided to stay open, allowing customers to shop from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Notably, Peek & Cloppenburg, H&M, Calzedonia, Intimissimi, and Tezenis are among those welcoming shoppers. Fussl Modestraße's marketing manager, Martina Mayr, confirmed that most stores are open to Austrian media, typically operating between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. or 6 p.m.

For those looking to purchase ski equipment, Hervis stores also offer an option. Approximately 70 out of their stores will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Additionally, bargain hunters can head to the Designer Outlets in Parndorf and Salzburg, which will also be available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on this public holiday.

Furniture and gardening

All OBI stores are closed, while Bauhaus and Hornbach stores will be open from 10 am to 6 pm. Many furniture shopping stores are open, including IKEA, XXL Lutz, Möbelix, Mömax and Kika/Leiner.